Who are you and what have you done with Sasuke?
by nuriko316
Summary: How can a seemingly harmless object cause such trouble for our favorite ninjas? Sasuke is acting a little stranger than normal. I do not own Naruto and Co. NaruSasuNaru Language,Violence, Adult Situations ie. sex, gender bender, yaoi .
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or the universe in which they reside, only the plot.

Key: "conversation" and 'thoughts'

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Chapter 1:

"Are we clear on the aspects of this mission?" asked Tsunade. The godaime of Konohagakure may come off as a lazy, gambling alcoholic but she wasn't the hokage for nothing. She was one of the Sannin; recognized for her unrivaled skill in medical jutsu and her awesome physical strength. Her honey-colored eyes slowly appraised the woman in front of her. She believed she was right in her decision. After all, she trained the woman herself. Once a weak, dependent girl with no ambition now stood a strong woman worthy of the title 'shinobi'. Tsunade was proud of her apprentice. The village may have requested her services, but she knew Sakura was up for the task. 'The future was in the hands of the children or something like that,' thought Tsunade. 'They have to take care of the village when we [adults are gone. Oh great, now I feel like drinking. Where's a cup of sake when you need one?'

"Confidentiality is of the utmost importance. You will be gone for a few months, but I am sure you will not fail. I have already informed Kakashi of your impending absence. You may inform your parents, but only your parents," said Tsunade.

"Hai, Tsunade-hime. I will pack my things now." Sakura grabbed the mission scroll, bowed, and dismissed herself. She wanted to leave as soon as possible. 'The sooner I leave, the more ground I will cover before nightfall.'

She sighed. She didn't want to leave, at least not so soon after successfully retrieving Sasuke. Itachi was still alive, but Sasuke had some run-in with the Akatsuki member that made him reconsider his vengeance plan (or rather the timing). 'Vengeance is a dish best served cold,' thought Sakura. So now team 7 has been training and going on missions with Kakashi-sensei. Sasuke wasn't exactly welcomed with open arms, but the only people who really seemed to give him the cold shoulder were certain shinobi, not the civilians. He was put under surveillance, questioned by Tsunade and well-known interrogator Ibiki, and tried by the Council. They decided that it was in the best interest of the village that the Uchiha be allowed back in. He never killed anyone or directly hurt Konoha and its interest. It certainly didn't hurt that he was responsible for the removal of Orochimaru.

Sakura made it back to her place and informed her parents of her long-term mission. She didn't reveal the details, just the fact that she will be gone and not to worry. She also had to express the need for confidentiality per Hokage. So they decided that if anyone asked that she was visiting an ailing relative who was in another village. Sakura packed the necessary items but remembered to travel light. 'I'll just purchase the necessities on the way there.' She left before lunchtime.

The sun was high as Sakura exited the village gates. She looked back and hoped that all would be well when she returned. Sakura was happy that Sasuke returned, but he was still distant. Naruto seemed to be the only one to crack his stoic façade. Even then it was with challenging words or annoying comments that compelled the Uchiha to put Naruto in his place. She whispered, "Sasuke, I hope you'll feel at home and remember that there are people who care for you here." With a determined look in her eyes, the pink-haired nin leapt onto the trees and swiftly began traveling.

The sun slipped through the blinds of the room of a certain loud-mouthed nin creating a pale, but bothersome glow. Naruto rolled over in the attempt to stall the inevitable. 'Just a few more minutes of sleep, that's all I'm asking for.' Unfortunately, he had to get up. He rolled out of bed and headed for the bathroom to relieve himself. After a minute or two (A/N: guys are weird this way), he flushed the toilet and started his shower. Leaving the bathroom rejuvenated, he quickly dressed and headed out the door. He went straight to Ichiraku's for a late breakfast (or lunch).

"Ohayo, Naruto-kun. What may I get you today," asked Ayame, the owner's daughter.

"Umm…I think I will have a bowl of beef ramen today." Remembering Sakura's almost daily lectures of his lack of healthy eating he replied, "…with extra vegetables." He smiled mischievously thinking, 'she didn't say I couldn't eat ramen anymore, just that I needed to eat more veggies.' Putting those thoughts aside, he wondered about today's agenda. He was looking forward to sparring with Sasuke. He was a challenging opponent and they always drove each other to extremes; the kind that rearranges the landscape. 'I'll show that teme. Then he will have to acknowledge me as the greatest ninja.'

"Here's your order, Naruto-kun," Ayame hesitantly stated as she looked at the fiery gleam in Naruto's eyes.

"Arigato, nee-san. Itadakimasu." With child-like glee, Naruto split his chopsticks and quickly inhaled his meal. Noting the time by the sun, Naruto bid farewell to Ayame and headed for the bridge. Upon arrival, he noticed a raven-haired man dressed in his usual black attire with signature fan on the back. Sasuke was looking out over the village clearly in thought. When Naruto reached him he smiled broadly and waved. Sasuke gave a slight nod in greeting him. 'Damn, he always beats me here.' Naruto stole quick glances at Sasuke to determine his mood.

'Hmmm… stoic with a dose of bastard…check.'

It was at this time that Kakashi-sensei decided to show up. "No missions for today. You may train if you want. See you tomorrow."

"Wait! What about Sakura-chan?" asked Naruto.

"Ah…Sakura will be absent from team seven missions due to her immediate departure in aiding her dear relative." Kakashi smiled or at least appeared to. The copy-nin reached into his pocket for his notorious 'Icha Icha' volume and walked away without another word. Naruto just watched him leave in amazement.

"Are you trying to catch bugs with that?" stated Sasuke causing Naruto to abruptly close his mouth.

"She left without saying goodbye. Do you think everything is okay?" Naruto asked in obvious concern.

Sasuke shrugged, "it may have been urgent." Though Sasuke did agree that her lack of a farewell was odd. He turned back towards the direction of the Uchiha district with his head down and his hands in his pockets. Not noticing at first, how a certain blond was silently following him in deep thought.

"Do you not have a home to go to, Dobe? Maybe an eager group of brats want to play 'ninja' with you."

"Hey! It's great exercise playing with the academy students. They keep me on my toes. Besides, it's fun and Iruka-sensei really appreciates my help."

They reached the gate to the Uchiha estate. Sasuke unlocked the door and entered. He was in the process of closing the door when Naruto slyly slipped by him. "I am not feeding you."

"I already ate, Sasuke-teme. I just wanted to hang out with you. Is that too much to ask for?" It has been tough dealing with the roller coaster of Sasuke's feelings. Some days he was distant and others he was like his old self. 'I know four years have passed. I just wanted things to go back to the way they were. Sometimes I don't know how to deal with this Sasuke.' "You hungry, teme."

"Hungry?" Elegant brows curved into an expression of confusion.

"For dirt. 'Cuz you'll be eating loads of it today," laughed Naruto. Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"I have things to do, unlike some people," said Sasuke arrogantly.

"Oh yeah…like what? Maybe I can help."

The Uchiha sighed and headed down the hall. After a few turns, the pair went through a door, which lead to descending stairs. When they reached the bottom, Naruto realized that they were in some sort of storage basement. There were artifacts and other antiques throughout the large space.

"Sugoi! What's all this?" asked Naruto in amazement. "I mean…interesting collection."

"Uchiha property. You forget who I am? I inherited everything the day my brother changed my life," said Sasuke with a hint of bitterness. After a moment's pause, Sasuke went to a corner and started to go through some items.

'Baka. Tact was never my forte. I guess I'll just look around over here.' Going over to the opposite side, he began to investigate.

"Be careful. These items are really old. Some are worth more than you will ever make from a liftetime of missions."

Naruto snorted. 'I'm not some fucking five year old gaki.' He was inspecting some items on a low table when something to his left caught his eye. He shifted wondering what caught his attention. There was a glass cabinet with lovely items inside. But the one that caught his eye was displayed in the forefront. On a stand, there were these long, thin hairpins with ornate flowers on one end. Next to it was a glass bottle, clearly the partner of the hairpins, with just a small amount of liquid inside. "Beautiful," murmured Naruto, as if in a trance. Naruto picked up the bottle, curious of its contents. 'Maybe it's a sweet-smelling perfume.'

"Let's go back upstairs," called Sasuke from across the room.

"…okay," Naruto said distractedly. He put the bottle down in favor of the hairpins. He shifted the hairpins to catch the light, enraptured by the design and style.

"Hey…(gasp)."

"Gomen, Sasuke. You surprised me. Did I get you?"

Sasuke placed the tip of his index finger in his mouth. "I'm fine, Dobe. Put that back and let's go upstairs." Naruto did as told and followed the Uchiha out of the basement. Both were unaware of what that seemingly harmless object had put into motion.

TBC

How was this for my first fanfic ever? This took forever. I become like a sort of perfectionist w/ a dose of OCD, that I actually hinder my own writing. So sorry for any grammatical mistakes now and in the near future. Hmmm...I should get a beta. R/R


	2. Chapter 2

[March 14th, 2008

Chapter 2:

The moon was bright on a cloudless night. Most people were in their beds dreaming the night away. One man was tossing and turning, unable to enter that blissful state. He was not plagued by illusive nightmares of the past, as usual; but was agitated nonetheless. Locks of raven hair plastered against the teen's flushed face. Sasuke jolted awake in a cold sweat. He was apprehensive and felt drained. The onyx-eyed teen was left gasping for air. 'It's like some virus is seeping into my core, into my very veins. My heart is racing.'

He reached for the glass of water next to him. Draining the glass, he subsequently placed it against his forehead in a futile attempt to cool down. Rivulets of water that escaped it intended destination, streamed down his pale neck onto his lean torso. The drops occasionally caught the moonlight as the teen's chest heaved. He wearily climbed out of bed and went towards the bathroom. Setting the shower to freezing temperatures, the Uchiha pealed off his navy blue boxers and stepped in. He stood in the center and placed both hands on the wall. Allowing the icy water to soothe his apprehension, Sasuke cleared his mind and inhaled slowly, deeply. "What's wrong with me," wondered the Uchiha, not taking notice that his sharingan was activated and had been for some time.

"Matte…come back. Sasuke, onegai…," whispered a voice in desperation. "…demo, I love…" He struggled against an unknown force and stretched out his hands searchingly. He panicked as the object of his desires moved further out of reach. It suddenly felt as if a weight was on his heart. Ocean blue eyes opened to the sight of a wrinkled brown face with large, dull eyes. "…aahh!!" The small form sitting on the boy's chest tilted its head silently contemplating the boy. "n-nani?" He raised himself on his elbows and checked for the time on his frog clock. "Pakkun…what's up?"

"I should be asking you that. Bad dream?"

"Huh…uh, no," mumbled Naruto, turning a curious shade of red. Even though the fox-boy wanted to drop the subject, it was clear that the dog-nin did not. Heaving a sigh, he looked at the dog with watery eyes and explained, "ramen left me."

"You mean Sasuke?"

"Teme? No, ramen left me for Sasuke-teme," clarified the teen. "Greedy bastard."

After a pause, Pakkun snorted. "Kakashi sent me to inform you that he will be unable to meet you for training due to an S-class mission. Official team seven training will be suspended until his return.

"Aw man,…this blows," exclaimed the boy, slumping back down.

The nin dog just blinked at the blond after resettling on Naruto's bare chest. "Be sure to inform Sasuke. Ja ne." A poof of smoke appeared signaling Pakkun's departure.

"Well, I guess that leaves more scavenger hunts with Sasuke-teme." Naruto stretched in a feline-like way. Half an hour later, a sunshine blond locked his door and leapt onto the roof, intending to force his company on his favorite brooding ninja.

The sun was shining bright on another clear day. Although there was a light breeze blowing in through the kitchen window, it was obvious that it was going to be another record- breaking day, temperature-wise. Sasuke was currently in the process of making his lunch, onigiri. He scooped the sticky rice and placed it on a wooden plate. Inserting the chosen core ingredients, he then enclosed it. To achieve the characteristic triangle shape, he lightly tossed the rice ball continuously while applying pressure with his hands. When he was satisfied, he started on the next one. Unbeknownst to others, Sasuke enjoyed cooking. He felt completely at ease and in control. The rice started to stick to his hands, so he placed his hands in a bowl of water to wet them again.

"Ohayo, Sasuke-teme," greeted an abnormally cheerful blond in a singsong voice.

'The gods must be punishing me for past sins.'

The whiskered boy let himself in and sat across from Sasuke, silently observing his style of preparation. 'No small talk here. He barely acknowledged my appearance.' Sasuke just continued to prepare his meal under the watchful eye of his teammate.

"I didn't know you were so domestic," replied the blond, noting the beautiful arrangement of onigiri. Becoming aware of the break in Sasuke's preparation he quickly complimented, "There's nothing wrong with that. I think its sort of …cute."

"What do you want, Dobe?" inquired Sasuke with barely contained exasperation. He glared at Naruto while cleaning his fingers with a dishtowel.

Naruto, who was in the process of cleaning his face of rice off answered, "Kakashi-sensei went on a mission, so training was canceled."

With a look of slight disdain, Sasuke observed his loud-mouthed teammate eat the rice he previously threw at him. "So you decided to grace me with your presence. I am honored," responded Sasuke sarcastically.

Disregarding that comment, Naruto continued to observe the Uchiha with something akin to adoration.

Oblivious to the attention, the Uchiha did not break pace. When he was done, he placed the plates on a tray and added the necessary dining tools. "Can you grab the pitcher of water from the refrigerator? There are also two clean glasses on the drying rack next to the sink." He led the way to a large room in the back of the house and slid the large doors open. Setting the tray on a low table, he settled on one of the sitting pillows situated on the floor. Naruto mimicked the raven-haired teen, setting the pitcher and glasses on the table. The Uchiha poured them each a glass then served Naruto his food.

"A-arigatou, Sasuke," murmured Naruto with a small smile.

Sasuke just look out over the Uchiha gardens, taking bites here and there, in peaceful silence. 'This is kind of nice. I didn't know the dobe was capable of long periods of silence.'

"They're good," complimented the fox-boy quietly. '(gasp)…is Sasuke smiling? Just barely, but its there.' There was a light breeze gently blowing the dark strands of the Uchiha's hair. He was completely relaxed, unguarded; but Naruto knew better. ' A shinobi must always be prepared and on guard, no matter the situation. Sasuke-teme surely didn't forget that rule. In fact, in dire situations that require quick improvising, the teme always came out looking cool, calm, and collected. The bastard! He's always in control of his emotions, to the degree that he doesn't appear to have normal vulnerabilities and fears. I'm flattered that he has shown a vulnerable side to me. He even considers me to be his friend…his best friend. Although, he doesn't call many people 'friend.' Damn antisocial bastard! Hmm…I never noticed before but, he has dark circles under his eyes. He's pale…well, paler than usual. Is something wrong?'

"Dobe, I'm just curious but, how long do you plan on staring at me?" asked the Uchiha as he glared at Naruto out of the corner of his eyes.

Warmth filled his face as blood headed north. Naruto covered his awkward reply with a sip of water.

It was hot. Sweltering hot. The kind of hot that compelled one to strip bare-ass naked and jump into a deep lake. But after some conceited comment made by the Uchiha, Naruto was provoked enough to challenge the teen to a spar. Insulting everything from his pride to his 'duck-butt' hairstyle, he successfully got him to agree.

So here they were, in their fighting stances. Light streamed through small gaps in the tree line, but for the most part, it was shady. It was quiet, except for the normal sounds of nature. With the narrowing of cobalt blue eyes and a contraction of toned muscles, Naruto was off. Sasuke was ready. He ducked a blow to the back of the head, planted both hands on the ground and kicked at Naruto's torso. He may have blocked, but he was hit with enough force to be pushed back into the foliage. The fight was on.

Nearly two hours later, both teens were facing each other, breathing hard. They had discarded their shirts some time ago. Their chests were glistening with sweat. Various small cuts, bruises, and dirt smudges were evident on their bodies. A small supply of weapons littered the grounds. The intensity of their fight was surreal. They always were. Nothing else mattered but the two of them. Not their past, not their obligations, just plain skill.

Sasuke pulled off a complex set of moves that almost got Naruto. But Naruto pivoted at just the right time to turn, what seemed like a disadvantage to an advantage; an advantage that presently had him straddling the Uchiha, kunai poised at his neck.

"Do you yield, Uchiha?" asked Naruto slightly breathless.

With a glare and a harsh tone he countered, "In your dreams, Uzumaki."

"Uhuh…" 'Kuso! He really seems pissed now. He can't win 'em all. Although, he appears more…worn out than usual. It doesn't feel like usual; like he went 'all out'. He must be coming down with something.' He continued to study the Uchiha, determined to find a reason for his disappointment. Tousled raven locks splayed out on the dirt and the sweaty teen's face. 'And he still manages to pull off an 'I'm better than you' look. I'm worried about him though. I should just beat it out of him. Fruitless, I know. 'Uchiha' must be synonymous with stubborn…or bastard.' At this, Naruto smirked.

'He's doing it again. Freak. This is not normal; him staring at me. Defeating me rarely occurs too. Well, to be honest, our spars usually end in a draw.' He breathed slow, even breaths, attempting to slow his racing heart. 'I knew it or felt it. My reaction time was off.' "As fascinating as this position may appear to you, usuratonkachi, I do have other things I would rather be doing."

"Wha…," was Naruto's intelligent reply. He put his kunai away and awkwardly got off of Sasuke. Signature pose with hand behind his head, the blue-eyed teen laughed off the situation. He stretched out a hand to help the Uchiha up, which he accepted.

"Oh well, look at the time. Gotta run and meet Iruka-sensei. Ja…" He grabbed his shirt and weapons and left a disheveled Uchiha in his wake.

"Kono usuratonkachi."

TBC

A/N: I know its a little slow, but bear with me. I'm just developing the plot and setting up parameters. If you have suggestions, I'll take them into consideration.

R/R


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry for the dry spell. Well, here's another serving. Enjoy!

Key: "conversation" 'thoughts'; **Kyuubi 's vocal input**

March 21st, 2008

Chapter 3:

Three days later…

"That's it! Sick or not, that bastard is gonna have to let me in," seethed the blond. He was currently brushing his teeth. Small flecks of toothpaste sprinkled the lower half of the bathroom mirror due to his frequent intervals of yelling. 'I'm his best friend. His teammate. I'm supposed to have his back when he needs me.' He furiously spat then rinsed his mouth. "Fucking bastard!!" He recalled his previous attempts to visit the raven-haired youth. After getting through all the traps, the stubborn Uchiha refused him entry. He wouldn't even open the goddamn door. He just talked through the door claiming illness. 

**Quit bitching, gaki**. 

'No one asked for your input, fox. Satisfied with the few, quick brush strokes to his spiky hair, he tied his headband on. Clad in his signature orange and black outfit, he departed.

The marketplace was crowded. The first day of the summer festival was in full swing. Vendors and shopkeepers have been preparing for days. Streamers with hanging lanterns lined the streets. It seemed like all of Konoha was out today, despite the heat. Families browsed the different stalls their children dragged them to. Some were already loaded with prizes won from games. Others were eating a variety of snacks and treats, succumbing to the festival atmosphere. Ignoring the enticing smells and attractive displays, the teen headed in the direction of the Uchiha district. 

"Oi…Naruto!"

Turning towards the caller, he noticed Kiba wave him over. The team was standing outside of a local favorite eatery. Naruto hesitated, and then sighed. 'Sasuke is not my only friend.'

"Yo, Kiba!" he exclaimed, patting Akamaru on the head. The nin dog, who came up to his waist, just sniffed and licked his hand.

"Ohayo, N-Naruto-kun," Hinata shyly greeted.

Naruto's smile broadened. "Hey Hinata-chan." He then turned toward Shino and nodded. "What are you guys up to?"

"We're waiting for Kurenai-sensei. She is treating us to some Korean barbeque for lunch, since we've been on non-stop missions. You?" Kiba asked smugly.

"Uh…well, with Sakura-chan and Kakashi-sensei gone…," mumbled the blond youth.

"I'm sure Tsunade-sama will send you on a mission soon," added Hinata.

"I don't know. Sasuke-teme is sick. I'm actually heading over there now." 

"Well, don't let us keep you from babysitting. Oww!" 

"Have you had lunch yet, Naruto-kun?" asked Hinata with concern in her voice.

"Not yet." 

"Why don't you join us?"

"You don't mind?"

"Hey. You're paying for yourself, though," threw in Kiba.

"Kiba-kun," reprimanded Hinata. "Are you going to the festival tonight? I know it has already started but everyone knows the real fun is at night."

"I don't know. I'll have to check with Sasuke-teme. If not I'll definitely go tomorrow night.

"What? You have to get permission from your boyfriend?" teased Kiba.

The appearance of Kurenai-sensei successfully diverted that oncoming dispute.

An hour and a half later, found a cheerfully stuffed blond with a takeout bag of barbeque in his hand. He decided to take a detour through the training grounds, in hopes of organizing his thoughts and walking off his meal. He breathed deeply, allowing the air to fill his nostrils, his lungs. The air was fresh and clean here. It was less noisy as well. The smells and sounds were simpler here. More natural. He could easily sort through and attribute what smells and sounds came from what. He always felt a sense of tranquility in the forests of Konoha. It may seem empty and quiet, but the forest was teeming with life. Another interesting fact was that he always felt the urge to just run through the forest. A sense of freedom and joy would well up inside of him; even at just the thought. It must be due to the fox. 

He took his time strolling the familiar path to the trio of wooden stumps. The fox youth snorted, remembering Team Seven's survival examination and his abysmal performance. 'But, I have grown since then. I've come a long way.'

As Naruto approached the clearing, he heard a series of groans and sounds of frustration. With the realization he was not alone, his fox/ninja instincts kicked in. Intent on discovering the trainee, he followed the sounds. 'Who's that?'

Standing a few feet away was a girl in a simple, black yukata. White bandages wrapped from ankles to knees and mid-fingers to elbows. A deep crimson belt encircled the narrow waist. A single, matching crimson ribbon bound raven-hair while allowing thick strands to frame the pale face. The girl continued attacking the wooden post, alternating between fists and feet. Naruto caught brief glimpses of creamy white skin. When the girl executed high kicks, she consequently raised the hemline of her outfit. He also noticed her tense posture and how waves of frustration practically pored out to her surroundings. She looped towards the back of the post; fist ready to strike. Her peripheral vision must have caught the orange-clad ninja because she abruptly stopped her assault. She looked up, question in her dark eyes, and something akin to recognition. She then focused her attention to the ground, nervously tucking her dark hair behind an ear.

"Gomen. I didn't mean to intrude," replied the fox-teen. 

The girl continued to look at the ground. She was clearly uncomfortable, as if caught doing something she should not be doing. 

Intent on diffusing the awkwardness, Naruto took a few steps closer with a welcoming smile on his face. The girl looked ready to bolt. Her eyes were discretely looking for an escape route.

Uncomfortable with the idea that this beautiful creature might fear him, he took a step back. "You have excellent form. I don't think I've seen you around the village before. What's your name?"

When her eyes finally came to rest on the takeout bag, it was her stomach that responded.

Naruto lightly laughed at the appearance of a blush across her nose and cheeks.

"I was actually going to take this to a friend of mine, but I don't think he'll mind. Come on. Let's sit under some shade. You're obviously hungry," said Naruto invitingly. 'She probably won't sit with me. My luck with members of the opposite sex was slim to none. They are either indifferent, disgusted, or annoyed by me; or just a bewitched member of the Uchiha Sasuke fan club.' 

Naruto chose a spot under a large oak tree with thick grass at the base. He removed the takeout box and chopsticks from the plastic bag. He suppressed a sigh of relief when the midnight-haired beauty sat down next to him. His smile only broadened when she accepted the Styrofoam box and utensils. 

Unmindful of the teen next to her, she practically 'dug' into the food.

"I'm Naruto, by the way. Uzumaki Naruto."

She tilted her head slightly towards the blond. Her dark eyes regarded him while chopsticks were positioned at her full lips. All in all, it was a very cute pose. 

Naruto continued to sit looking out at the horizon, occasionally sneaking glances at the female next to him. 'Slim, but obviously in shape enough to take care of herself.' A breeze gently blew through her midnight tresses bringing her scent to his sensitive nose. Her scent hinted at strength and something slightly familiar. Her eyes, complimented by long lashes, spoke of passion dark and mysterious. Those luscious lips, gleaming with the juices from the barbequed pork, were begging to be nipped and sucked on. Her breasts, though a little on the small side, were perfect for her petite frame. Naruto's seventeen-year-old mind had no problems with this train of thought. Neither did his fellow tenant whose supply of 'reel-like' scenes showcased Naruto and the raven-haired girl in several compromising positions. 'Stop it, Kyuubi. I just met her.'

"Arigatou," softly replied the girl. 

"M-my pleasure," stuttered Naruto, not wanting this meeting to end. 'What should I do? She won't even tell me her name.'

**Ask her out. Is that not the way of you humans? Escort each other on those so called 'dates.' You waste time on pretty words and pretenses when all you want to do is fuck.**

Naruto could practically see the leer behind those words. 'Girls only answer in the negative, or haven't you noticed. I'm not exactly Mr. Popular here.'

**That is because it is hard to desire you when you are as annoying and loud as you are, gaki.**

'Well, if you're so clever, help me out.'

**This could be interesting. You lead such a boring life. Seventeen and still a virgin…**

'Hey, you overgrown furball. (deep sigh) Just tell me what my next move is.'

Moments later, the woman gracefully stood up and whispered another word of thanks. Naruto stood up as well, unsure if he should be so forward. As the girl turned to leave, he reached out. One hand lightly grasped a slim wrist while the other brushed against a pale cheek; effectively turning her head towards him.

"Come to the festival with me," firmly stated the blond.

Eyes wide, she quickly recovered, unsuccessfully removing her wrist. "I do not think so," she responded with that blush again.

"I would much rather prefer your company over Sasuke-teme's," informed the fox-teen.

"Sasuke…?" came the confused reply.

"Oh, we're on the same team. He was the friend I was referring to about the food. I was going to visit him before I got sidetracked. 

"You were going to take this Sasuke to the festival?" she inquired.

"More like force. He's closed himself off from...everything for the past three days. To be honest, I'm kind of worried..."

"I'll go," interjected the beauty. "I mean...I will accompany you to this festival. Can we go now?

"Uhh...yeah. It has already started. Let's go!" 'Kyuubi, she said yes. Did you hear?'

**How could I have not? One piece of advice—do not talk her to death.**

He then preceded to curl up and sleep. Naruto could not stop grinning. His infectious smile was bared to all.

TBC

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R&R. I'll try to upload another chapter (the date) within the week. Bye for now!


	4. Chapter 4

FYI: I'll refer to Sasuke in feminine terms except when he is thinking in first person (for obvious reasons)

March 25, 2008

Chapter 4:

'Tsk...do these people not comprehend the concept of personal space,' wondered the Uchiha as she was pushed yet again onto her companion. She glared at the whiskered teen out of the corner of her eyes. 'Look at him. Grinning like a brat on Christmas morning. I should kick his ass here and now, in front of all these people. It was due to his clumsiness and curiosity that I am even in this situation. Me. An Uchiha. Born a male but currently a female. My ancestors must be rolling in their graves.'

"Hey, let's go over to that stand," cried the blond.

The stand in question was crowded and obviously popular. Sasuke's scowl deepened. This is the third booth, out of three, that Naruto has dragged her to. All were games geared toward females and children. The concept of this one was simple: catch a goldfish using a thin screen (netting on a loop which is connected to a handle). The catch is that the screen very easily breaks with the thrashing of the fish. It takes skill, concentration, a steady hand, and above all patience. 'Naruto clearly lacks these qualities.'

The burly vendor laughed as he accepted more money from frustrated customers determined to succeed. Many kids avidly watched and cheered on their parents or older siblings. Naruto paid the vendor and recited the rules to Sasuke.

The Uchiha sighed softly and elegantly lowered herself to the ground, on level with the basin of fish. She held the screened wand in one hand while the other held the draping sleeve of her outfit. She calmly lowered the wand near the water. A look of concentration appeared on her pale face, evident only by the slight contraction of eyebrows. Clearing her mind she breathed slowly, evenly. When the timing was right, she swiftly dove the wand into the water and gently lifted it. The goldfish lightly flopped, but not enough to break the screen.

"Tousan! Kaasan! She got one. Sweet!" came a random reply from the crowd. The child's exclamation attracted the attention of others in the crowd. They congratulated and applauded her success.

"That was awesome," praised Naruto.

Sasuke could not help but smile at him. 'That fool.'

"And what prize do you want, my lady," asked the vendor. Sasuke just raised the goldfish questioningly. The burly man laughed good-naturedly. "I can't give out all the caught fish, but I'll make an exception for a beauty such as yourself. Just smile once for me and it is yours."

Sasuke mentally cringed, but complied nonetheless. Tilting her head slightly to the side, she flashed a smile and closed her eyes.

'Kawaii,' thought Naruto, as the vendor safely packed the fish in a clear plastic bag with enough water and air to survive the trip home.

'That actually works,' snorted the Uchiha mentally.

"Hmm…where to next?" wondered the blond aloud, lips pursed while in thought.

"Let's go over to the archery booth," suggested the ebony-haired girl. One hand held the bagged fish protectively while the other pointed toward the indicated booth.

"Oh…okay." The orange-clad teen followed the girl to the booth. The game involved shooting a target with a bow and arrow. Paying the man, Naruto picked up the bow and one of two arrows.

Sasuke moved next to the teen, smiling encouragingly. 'The dobe is a poor shot. If he makes it, it will only be due to a lucky accident.' She inwardly smirked. She watched the whiskered boy as he notched an arrow. Squinting his eyes in focus, he released. 'Just as I predicted.' The arrow shot through the archery vendor's pitcher of alcohol on the table near the targets.

"Hahaha, that kid sucks," came a reply behind them grabbing the attention of more surrounding people.

Ocean blue eyes shyly turned towards his companion in clear embarrassment. "Uh…it slipped. My fingers are a little sweaty."

"Hmm…dobe," lightly laughed the raven-haired beauty.

"What did you call me," asked the fox-teen seriously, all signs of embarrassment gone.

Sasuke realized his mistake. Thrusting the goldfish at Naruto she asked, "May I try?"

Accepting the fish, Naruto slowly handed the bow to the girl. Suspicion was clearly evident in his demeanor.

Intent on dispelling his doubts, Sasuke flashed his most brilliant smile yet. Naruto blushed deeply, hand scratching the back of his neck. He stepped to the side allowing her room.

Sasuke grabbed an arrow and stepped into position. Notching the arrow, she applied the same calm focus she used at the goldfish booth. As she slowly inhaled, she aimed for the target. When she exhaled, the arrow was let loose. A roar of applause sounded when the arrow found purchase dead center on the target.

Sasuke turned toward the awestruck blond. "No more kiddie booths 'kay?"

The teen could only nod as Sasuke set the bow back on the table.

The gangly archery vendor pointed towards a display of various stuffed animals. "Which one do ya want, miss?"

Sasuke considered the choices until her eyes came to rest on the second to the last stuffed animal.

"I want that one," stated the girl, indicating the rust-colored fox plushie.

"Oh my. That's not supposed to be there; at least not when we're in Konoha. Jin, you lazy brat! I told you about which prizes to display in which villages. A fox in Konoha is just asking to be thrown out."

"Oops," came the insufficient reply from Jin, who was preoccupied with a group of girls on the opposite side of the booth.

"Sorry miss. I'll remove that one right away," exclaimed the vendor with a slight bow.

"No. I want the fox for my prize," firmly stated the girl.

"O-okay," stated the vendor, relieved that he did not offend a Konaha villager.

Naruto watched as the archery vendor handed the fox plushie to the raven-haired girl. She gave the whiskers a caressing stroke then shoved the plushie in front of Naruto's face. "Say hello to Naru-chan."

"W-what?" blushed the equally whiskered teen. He turned even redder when some observers laughed at him.

The mid-afternoon sun shined brightly on the festivities. A few stray clouds drifted by providing little shade for the people below. One couple was leaving one of the many food stands spread throughout the area. One was clearly enjoying the dango purchased moments before. The other was loaded with various prizes and souvenirs, trying to keep up with his companion. He watched as she pulled another dango ball off of the stick in her right hand; in her left was a rapidly emptying frog coin purse, Gama-chan.

"Naruto-kun!"

Naruto turned toward a distinctly green-clad ninja who was waving enthusiastically at him.

"Yo, bushy-brows." Rock Lee and his teammate Hyuuga Neji made their way over to Naruto.

"It is so good to see you, Naruto-kun. How are you?"

"I can't complain. What are you two doing? Where's Ten-Ten?

"Her parents are weapons specialists. They have a booth here at the festival. Where's Sakura-chan?"

"She's visiting a sick relative in another village."

"What? Will she be here for the dance?"

"Dance?"

"You know. The dance held in the great clearing on the third and final day of the festival. It takes place before the midnight fireworks show."

"Oh…well, I don't think so. Why?"

"I hoped to ask Sakura-chan out to the dance. You see, the dance is for couples. I wanted to escort her there as my date."

"Date?" questioned the blond.

"Speaking of dates, who is that woman you are with, Naruto-kun," asked the Byakugan-user.

Naruto turned around. His 'date' was returning to his side after disposing of her trash.

"Oh…this is my friend…um…"

"Kouya," interrupted the ebony-haired girl with her disarming smile.

"My apologies, Naruto-kun. We did not intend to interrupt your…date," replied the pearl-eyed teen.

Kouya blushed cutely at this, while Naruto stuttered, "We're just friends."

"Friends?" Neji smirked at this bit of information.

Naruto caught the Hyuuga giving Kouya the 'once-over'. Jealousy swelled within the teen, as well as possessiveness. Kouya placed a slim hand on his forearm and suggested they depart.

"We really must be going."

"Bye guys!" called the loudmouthed youth, eyes lingering a little more on Neji.

"Bye Naruto-kun," called the taijutsu specialist. "Neji-kun, lets get some dango."

The Hyuuga silently followed his teammate, pondering what about that girl was bothering him. There is something about her; something drawing him towards her.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The couple watched as the troop of acrobats performed another set of complex moves. The crowd roared its approval as a little girl executed a series of flips and cartwheels. Naruto watched as Kouya scooped another spoonful of coffee ice cream into her mouth, eyes focused on the entertainment. Her eyes shined with delight as she laughed and clapped along with the audience, fox plushie in her arms. Her laugh was like music to Naruto's ears. She freely laughed in his presence. It was like she had never done this before. At first she was cautious around him. When they first entered the festival, she was reserved. 'I had to force her to participate. It was like she was humoring me. She probably didn't think I noticed.' Her eyes followed everything, trying to absorb all the details. The smallest thing brought a smile to her face, enhancing her beauty.

Naruto noticed the envious glances thrown his way. Some were the typical hate-filled glares, but he was used to that. His sunshine blond hair and distinct whisker marks made him stand out. They knew who he was; at least the adults knew. Naruto's fox-enhanced hearing did not fail to pick up on the comments about him.

"Who the fuck does he think he is? Escorting one of 'our' women to the festival."

"How can she even stand the sight of him, much less the stench?"

"We should have killed him years ago."

Kouya turned towards Naruto, spoon in her mouth, with an expression of concern on her face. Naruto tried to reassure her with a smile, but failed. 'Just ignore them, baka. Don't worry Kouya, not when she is having so much fun.'

A spoonful of ice cream was shoved in his face. Naruto looked at Kouya questioningly, who only smiled. Naruto returned the smile and opened his mouth, accepting the ice cream.

"Its good," mumbled the teen. She softly laughed. "What?"

Naruto froze when she lifted a hand to his face only to swipe a bit of ice cream from the corner of his mouth. His eyes widened further when she placed her finger in her mouth, tasting the ice cream. From his face.

'K-Kyubi. I-I think she likes me. What do I do?'

**Take her to a secluded part of the forest and fuck her senseless**.

That snapped Naruto back to reality. 'Damn perverted fox.'

The acrobatic troop bowed and announced that they were taking a short break. They started to collect money from gracious audience members. Naruto looked out at the horizon. The clash of orange and yellow made the sky look like it was on fire.

"Hmm…sunsets are always beautiful," commented the fox-teen.

"The what?! Sunset? I have to go!" cried Kouya.

"What? Already? You don't have to go, do you? We're having so much fun," said the blond slightly desperate.

"It's late. I have to go home or…my parents will be furious," informed the midnight-haired beauty, fear and desperation lacing her tone. "Please, I have to go." Naruto had grabbed her wrist at the last minute.

"Can I see you tomorrow?" requested the blond. 'Anything is acceptable but an option without you.'

"Tomorrow…umm…okay," appeased the girl. "I'll meet you at the training grounds. Naruto, I really have to go, okay?" She grabbed the fox plushie and swiftly left the area, expertly weaving through the crowds.

Naruto watched her leave, pondering the sudden feeling of loss overtaking him. A little dejected, but hopeful at tomorrow's prospects, he stood up from the table. He grabbed his goldfish and other prizes and left the festival grounds with a grin on his face.

TBC

Sorry. This chapter was kicking my ass. I had so many different ideas for the date. I didn't want to move too fast. Well, drop a review if you want. Later!


	5. Chapter 5

Hope you enjoy this chapter. I kept re-writing and editing the story. Anyways, read on…

March 28, 2008

Chapter 5:

'Sasuke, you are a fool.'

Sasuke lightly hit his head on the white tiles lining the shower, letting the warm spray of water stream down his toned male body. 'That was close. I completely forgot about the time.' Grabbing the conditioner, Sasuke squeezed a bit onto his palm and worked a good lather into his hair. As the water rinsed his hair out, his thoughts returned to the earlier events of the day. 'What started out as a prank to cover an awkward meeting, turned into something else. What was I doing? Why did I react like that with him? Like a…girl? Maybe the poison is affecting my thought processes,' concluded the raven-haired youth. He began to scrub his body, none too gently, turning his pale body a raw pink. The Uchiha took slow calming breaths to soothe the aggravation of his predicament. 'The dobe expects me to go out with him again. Or Kouya.' His hands curled into fists as his frustration refused to subside. 'Hell no! I am not a girl- not originally.' A fist swiftly pounded the tiled walls. 'Kuso! I am no closer to finding a solution to my situation. Nothing in the extensive collection of scrolls and books in the manor's library mention anything about a potion to switch genders.' Sighing in temporary defeat, the youth turned off the shower and reached for a towel. He towel-dried his hair and wiped down his body. 'I may have to pay the Hokage a visit. She could identify the agent and come up with an antidote. She is renowned for her skills in the medical field.' He wrapped a small towel around his waist and stepped out of the bathroom into his own large room. Only, he was not alone.

"Sasuke-teme! You're alive," exclaimed the whiskered boy currently sitting on HIS bed.

Said teen prayed to the gods for patience. Naruto was on the bed, kicking up his legs in a restless state. Hands clasped in his lap, azure eyes roamed around the room. Sasuke's sparsely furnished room was decorated in black and shades of brown with a few touches of crimson red and earthy green here and there. His large regal furniture was painted in the darkest black contrasting the other colors beautifully.

Sasuke was currently selecting a pair of boxers. Choosing a black pair, he slipped it on under his towel then removed a thin black t-shirt from the dresser. He walked over to the wicker hamper and tossed his towel in. Pulling the shirt on, he turned to face the fox vessel.

The blond teen was lying back on the bed with his eyes closed. Sasuke considered tossing his teammate out of the window for sleeping on his bed. Instead, the raven-haired teen crossed the room and sat on the bed facing Naruto. The teen continued to sleep, unmindful of the added weight on the bed. Sasuke watched as his chest rose and fell in a slow rhythm. He liked him this way; calm, quiet, stupidity non-existent. Blond locks fanned out around the fox -teen's head. A tanned hand rose to his stomach and gave a few scratches, while the other came up to lie next to his head. Coal-black eyes looked out at the pitch-black sky outside his window before redirecting on the whiskered face below. He placed one hand on Naruto's mouth, while the other pinched his nose. '...5,4,3,2,1.'

Arms flailing and heart beating wildly, Naruto gasped for air.

"What the fuck, Sasuke?" Naruto yelled angrily, one hand on his heart. "Are you trying to kill me?" He coughed a few times and narrowed his eyes at his rival/best friend.

"You have your OWN bed in your OWN home to sleep in," stated the Uchiha nonchalantly.

"You could have just woken me up, teme," informed the fox vessel with a slight wheeze.

"I did do that, dobe," arrogantly replied the Uchiha.

"You know what I mean," shouted the blond.

The self-proclaimed avenger only continued to smirk and Naruto entertained the idea of wiping that smirk off of his face with a right hook. He thought better of it after remembering the reason for his teammate's absence. He sighed in resignation.

"I didn't mean to fall asleep. I guess I'm a little tired after the day I had." Naruto waited for the inquiry about his day, but sighed again when it did not come. 'Well, he never was one for gossip.' Naruto lay back down with his hands clasped behind his head.

"You sure you're okay, teme? I was kinda worried about you. I had planned on breaking down your door and everything," informed the whiskered teen.

Sasuke laid down as well claiming, "I'm fine, dobe."

Naruto wondered if he should question the Uchiha further. Truth is, though he was the same Naruto on the outside, inside his emotions were tumultuous. He was restless, anxious, doubtful, and a host of other things. But Naruto, unbeknownst to others, had the perfect mask of all. He only allowed certain emotions to show while keeping his true feelings hidden and guarded. Everyone mistook him for a loud, clumsy idiot; which was true, but only to a small extent. It was easier to get by if people wrote you off as stupid. They do not feel threatened or challenged by your true strength. It was safer for him this way. Well, as safe as can be for a shinobi hunted by the Akatsuki. Naruto did not hold any grudges against the villagers. Their hate sprung from their fear. Not fear of him, Uzumaki Naruto, but of the nine-tailed demon fox, Kyuubi. So Naruto persevered and trained in hopes of earning the acknowledgement and respect of the villagers. The friends he gained throughout the years were precious to him, but none more so than Sasuke.

Which brings us to the next problem. 'What should I do?'

"**I prefer the direct approach. If he lies, well…they say pain is a great motivator. I can help you there."** sneered the ancient fox with barely contained laughter edging his tone.

'I don't think so. Oh, and while you're here, I have a question.' Naruto took his silence to be a 'yes'. 'Why were you laughing earlier?'

Kyuubi knew exactly what Naruto was referring to, but only continued to sneer.

'Was my date that much of a disaster or do you know something? My instinct is leaning more towards the latter but…' Naruto trailed off in hopes of the kitsune filling in with his answer. The demon only snorted and receded more into Naruto's subconscious.

'Well, that shut him up,' thought the blond, but his curiosity did not abate.

Naruto decided not to question Sasuke, but returned his senses outward. Blinking his eyes into awareness he turned his head and noticed that Sasuke had fallen asleep. 'He fell asleep. He still must not be completely recovered from his illness if he hasn't thrown me out yet.'

Naruto observed the teen next to him. Part of his body was on the bed, while his legs were still over the edge. 'That can't be comfortable. Should I move him? I might lose a few limbs in the process.' Naruto slid off the bed and pulled down the bed sheets. Taking a deep breath and steeling his resolve, he picked up Sasuke (bridal style) as gentle as possible and laid him down properly. Sasuke briefly open unadjusted eyes and closed them when his gaze only saw the deep blue pools looking back at him reassuringly.

'I'll check on him tomorrow after my date with Kouya.' Naruto half-tucked Sasuke in figuring it would be another hot night. Walking to the open window, he leaped onto the sill. With one last glance back at his teammate he hopped out.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A mild breeze blew in through the open window. The frog clock read 3:33. The temperature fell a bit but the air was still thick and heavy with moisture. A dull sound resounded from a floor fan that was placed on a chair facing the bed's occupant. The sleeping teen was currently engaged in an inescapable dream. His chest rose and fell in a desperate attempt to pull oxygen into his lungs. His body was drenched in sweat and a look of affliction covered his face. Tan legs were twisted in restricting sheets that seemed to bind him as well as his dream. Fingers clenched the sheets and toes curled unconsciously. Blond hair stuck to the face contorted in near agony. Cobalt eyes were squeezed shut. Teeth bit onto the bottom lip of a whiskered face in a futile attempt to smother a moan. The tan body toned to perfection was practically writhing on the sweat-soaked bed.

"Ohhh…. Kyuubi, noooo," desperately pleaded the teen in a whisper. His teeth bit harder, drawing blood. "Onegai…stop." His pleas were ignored as his body sought release. The feeling in the pit of his stomach was like a coil ready to spring. "Aaahh…fuck…" moaned the teen as he reached the culmination of an agonizingly drawn-out experience. Azure eyes opened abruptly as the whiskered teen panted. Worn out from the dream and brain lulled into a dreamless state from the stifling air, the blond suddenly fell asleep.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

'Why is it so bloody hot?'

Kouya sat under a large tree waiting for her companion. She was dressed in a simple pink yukata with a belt in a shade of cherry as well as the ribbon holding her hair. Her arms were hanging over her raised knees allowing the near-nonexistent breeze to flow over her. Her dark eyes gazed at the sun guessing at the time.

'He's late. I should not have come. It was a pain in the ass just getting ready,' internally complained the girl. She had a hard time finding something to wear considering the fact that nearly all of Sasuke's clothes bore the Uchiha symbol. She had to result to rummaging through her mother's things for an outfit. The slight crunching of grass alerted the raven-haired beauty to another's presence.

"Ohayo, Kouya. Sorry I'm late," mumbled Naruto with his hand behind his head.

The girl continued to look at the trees, ignoring his added presence. Used to this attitude, Naruto sat down close to Kouya and grasped her hand. He gulped as narrowed dark eyes turned to glare at him. She then removed her hand only to cross her arms over her chest. Naruto tried to make excuses but blushed at her harsh glare. Her glare reminded him of another raven-haired, ivory-skinned youth.

A delicate brow rose in confusion at his reaction. 'Usuratonkachi.'

"Forget it. You asked to see me and here I am. I am a busy person. What do you want."

"Ummm…well…," stuttered the blond. 'Everyone's too busy for me. I wonder what Sasuke is up to. We haven't sparred in a while. No! Don't think that. You don't care, dobe. Aaah…' the fox vessel was in near hysteria.

Unaware of her companion's internal meltdown she huffed in frustration. "I have an appointment later today, so I will have to leave early," notified the beauty.

"Appointment, huh? If you did not want to be with me then just say so," grumbled the fox vessel.

"Excuse me?" asked the girl slightly offended.

Naruto sighed. "Gomen nasai. I didn't get much sleep. So I woke up a little crabby today."

At Kouya's nod Naruto asked, "Why don't we head over to the festival? They have plays all day today."

"Alright." Kouya elegantly rose from her position on the ground. Naruto beamed at her and she smiled softly.

The couple strolled down the road browsing at the booths and playing a few games here and there. It was easy being with Kouya again. Earlier tension forgotten the pair began to enjoy the festival. When they reached the general food area, Naruto's stomach growled. The smells were wonderfully enticing. The teen skipped breakfast knowing that he and Kouya would gorge themselves on the variety of festival foods.

"Are you hungry, Naruto?" laughed the beauty good-naturedly.

"Yep, you?"

"Hai."

They purchased some food and chose to dine in front of a psuedo-stage featuring a comedy/drama about a great ninja. There was already a crowd but they found good seats and were able to enjoy the show. Throughout the meal Naruto would steal glances at Kouya. 'Should I question her about it? It's not like we are dating. She can see whoever she wants.' Naruto talked himself out of asking Kouya a specific question. Instead he asked another one that had been on his mind since yesterday.

"Kouya?" Dark eyes reluctantly left the entertainment and turned towards Naruto.

"Umm…I was wondering if…well, you see there's this dance…and I was wondering if you would go with me tomorrow night…as my date…" Azure eyes kept shifting from the beauty in front of him to the table below him. 'Lee said it was a couple's only occasion.' A vague blush dusted Naruto's cheeks.

"The dance is at midnight, correct?" At Naruto's affirming nod she answered, "I'm sorry Naruto, but I cannot go. It is too late. My p-parents will not allow me to attend such a late event."

"Oh. Okay," came the dejected reply. 'Her apology sounds sincere. She does have a curfew. Wait! What am I talking about? She could just be spending her nights with another guy. How else did the fox plushie end up in Sasuke's room?' At this thought, Naruto heard a snorting laughter from his internal occupant.

"So Kouya, where's Naru-chan today. Yesterday you seemed all attached. I half expected you to have the thing with you today." Naruto slipped casually.

"Oh. N-Naru-chan is in my room on my bed," blushed the raven-haired girl.

"Uhuh."

Deciding to drop it for now Naruto returned his attention to the play. "Do you want to stay here or would you like to walk around some more."

She shrugged but said, "I kind of want to stick around for the plays, if you do not mind? We can walk around if you want to."

"No, I'm fine."

The pair continued to watch the shows for the rest of the day until Kouya had to leave for her appointment.

"Maybe I'll see you tomorrow, ne?" smiled Naruto.

"Hmm," came her reply with a small smile and a wave.

After watching her leave, Naruto got up as well and began to walk around. Hands in his pockets, Naruto walked the quieter streets of Konoha in deep thought. 'Kouya looked beautiful today, as expected. She smelled wonderful.'

"**Is that why you got rid of her so easily?"**

'I don't know what you are talking about,' stubbornly replied the fox vessel.

"**Who do you think you are fooling, gaki? You were distracted today. You did not put up an argument when Kouya left. You did not even force another date out of her for tomorrow. Is there something on your mind?"** This was said with a sneer and a knowing look that pissed off the jinchuuriki.

Naruto chose to ignore those comments and continued walking.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Tsunade released a long, deep sigh; evidence of her tiring day. Shizune had forced her to do a mountain of paperwork so as not to fall even more behind. But all the Hokage wanted to do was skip over to the festival and find a decent gambling booth and order some sake. Her honey-colored eyes strained to take in what she was reading on the scroll. 'The sooner I finish this stack, the sooner I can join the festivities.' A knock sounded on the door.

"Enter," called the Godaime. 'It better not be Shizune with another stack for me.'

After a few moments of silence the door opened slowly. Tsunade-sama sighed again at the holdup. She straightened her stack of papers and crossed her fingers over the desk. She smiled none to kindly at the visitor. The pale youth closed the door behind her, bowed slightly and walked towards the desk.

"Hokage-sama," came the soft reply. Dark eyes regarded the Hokage with a chin slightly raised in the air.

Honey-colored eyes narrowed at the girl. 'There's something about this girl. She just rubs me the wrong way. I don't like her.'

"And you are…?" asked the Hokage not recognizing the girl, although the chakra signature seemed familiar. A blonde brow rose in question when coal-black eyes abruptly gazed at the floor and a vague blush dusted the girl's face. Blonde brows lifted and honey eyes widened at the answer…

"Uchiha, Sasuke."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Looking at the swiftly darkening sky, which was already marked by a few evening stars, Naruto sighed heavily. He pushed up from his sitting position on the Yondaime's head and maneuvered his way down the mountain. Although he wanted to avoid the Uchiha, he promised he was going to check up on him. Jumping up on a nearby roof he decided to take a short cut. The speed of his travel and the wind rushing against his face served to clear his mind further.

The Uchiha manor was quiet and dark. There were no lights on inside but Naruto decided to try anyway. Knocking on the door, the blond teen waited. 'He probably knows its me, but is taking his sweet time.' Raising a fist he pounded on the door. 'Where is he?'

"**And you wonder why he calls you a dobe."**

'What was that fox?' said Naruto challenging.

"**Do you sense his chakra signature inside?"**

Naruto closed his eyes and expanded his senses towards the large manor. Naruto growled. 'Is he with her? Appointment my ass.' Fists clenched and teeth bared, Naruto imagined the possibilities of Kouya with Sasuke. 'That teme. Isn't there one girl immune to him?' He growled further at Kyuubi's snort and mental eye rolling.

"Dobe. What are you doing here?" came a too familiar voice.

Naruto turned around and saw his teammate with a bag of takeout. He immediately jumped to the wrong conclusion.

"Where were you, Uchiha? Did you have a dinner date with someone?"

The Uchiha frowned at his friend's apparent fury. He noticed the pronounced whisker marks, blood-red eyes, and lengthened teeth.

"Not that it is any concern of yours, but I just picked up some dinner from the Korean barbeque restaurant. Before that I was in a meeting with the Hokage."

Naruto scoffed at his answer. "I'm not stupid, you know. I know you were with a girl."

Sasuke raised a brow in doubt, "You could have fooled me, usuratonkachi. As for the girl comment, I assure you Tsunade-sama has not been one for a long time. Don't let the jutsu fool you," he advised condescendingly. He then pushed pass Naruto and unlocked his door. "Remind me again why you are here."

"I said I would check up on you, teme."

He walked in uninvited and closed the door. Sasuke glared and turned his back on him. He took his dinner to the kitchen and unpacked his meal on the table. Grabbing two plates, two sets of chopsticks, and a serving spoon, he placed them on the table opposite each other. He then retrieved two glasses and filled them with water. Bringing them over he sat down and began serving himself.

"You expecting someone?"

"Only for a dobe to be blessed with some level of intelligence," informed the Uchiha casually. He placed a couple of pre-cooked meat on his plate (since this was a 'to go' order) and scooped some rice onto his plate.

Logic sinking into his brain at last, Naruto pulled the other chair back and sat down. Cerulean eyes still guarded, he loaded his plate with food. Grabbing his chopsticks, he grabbed a portion of meat and whispered an apology. Chewing the juicy meat he finally returned his gaze to his companion. The Uchiha was being his usual self; eating quietly with a modicum of elegance and ignoring Naruto's earlier outburst. The tension quickly dwindled to nonexistent as Naruto recounted his extraordinary day to his rival/best friend. 'He wasn't with Kouya; he couldn't have been, Kyuubi. I shouldn't have suspected Sasuke. He is too anti-social for anyone to tolerate. That fox plushie upstairs must be an old one or something.'

"**Fool."**

Ignoring the comment he gladly helped Sasuke clean up. The Uchiha then prepared a tray of jasmine tea and walked outside on the wooden deck overlooking the lush, but simple gardens. Dragging the floor pillows out, the pair lay down and looked at the starry sky.

"So what did you do today, Sasuke-teme?" asked the fox teen casually trying to start conversation.

"Training," supplied the stoic teen.

"Okay…what did you see the Hokage for?"

"It doesn't concern you, dobe," came the evasive reply.

'I'm his best friend. If he can't share his secrets with me then who can he share them with?' Naruto growled distractedly at Kyuubi's amusement. 'Shut up, pervy fox,' internally screamed the blond annoyed at his insistent laughter.

At this Kyuubi growled. The two may be umm…close, but Naruto was still just a human whereas Kyuubi was a powerful ancient demon. One should know their place and respect the hierarchy.

'Yeah, you heard me. Now is certainly not the time, but what the fuck was up with that dream starring Sasuke-teme last night?'

"**Let's just say his potential has revealed itself to me."**

'What potential?' asked the whiskered teen, frustrated at failing to see Kyuubi's point.

The kitsune sighed as a bit of his chakra warmed Naruto and the feelings aroused by the dream returned.

"I am a demon fox and you are of age. If a potential mate enters your life…"

'Whoa, whoa, whoa,' interrupted Naruto. 'Sasuke and potential mate should not be in the same train of thought. Who said I liked guys? Don't succumb to Sasuke's spell,' warned the blond. 'He's not that hot.'

"A mate is more than a fuck buddy. I am referring to your match, your life-mate, bound for eternity."

'Is this my punishment for your imprisonment? Shit! W-what about Kouya?'

At this Kyuubi only gave a growl-tinged laugh. Naruto was sweating and his heart refused to calm down. 'Me bound to Sasuke-teme for life. He's a handful now. We may end up killing each other. What do I do? What do I do?' Naruto mentally ran his hands over his face in near hysteria. 'And stop with the fucking mental pictures!'

"What? Is this not to your liking. Well, allow me to alter the image."

At this a scene formed with Naruto thrusting into a very aroused Uchiha beneath him.

"**How about this? This is better, ne?"** Kyuubi cruelly laughed.

"Dobe. Your control over the kitsune needs some work."

'Sasuke-teme?' The teen looked at the erotic scene, but the Sasuke in there was only moaning. He turned around and yelped. 'Aah, S-sasuke-teme get outta my head. I told you how much I hated it,' shouted a tomato-red blond.

"You did not answer when I called your name."

'That doesn't give you the right to just invite yourself in my head,' screamed the fox vessel.

"Your chakra, or rather Kyuubi's chakra was building up, so I 'invited' myself in to see what the problem was," replied the Uchiha unperturbed at Naruto's anger.

"Whatever, teme," replied the whiskered teen unwilling to acknowledge the Uchiha's logic. "Let's go," with that Naruto left his subconscious.

"Soon Uchiha"

"Hn," came the Uchiha's reply as he regarded the kitsune for a moment more before leaving. The ancient demon was smirking lustfully at him.

Naruto slowly opened his cobalt eyes to a pair of swirling sharingan ones.

"Aah!!"

Sharingan eyes squeezed shut in annoyance at the yell from a source less than a foot away.

"Deafness is not a quality I desire, dobe," informed the Uchiha, as his eyes opened to their original dark shade. Sasuke was currently sitting on Naruto's lap, arms braced on either side of his head, as his own face hovered mere inches above the whiskered teen.

"Yeah, yeah, just get off already," said the fox-teen, a blush adorning his cheeks.

"Is this not to your liking, Uzumaki?" teased the Uchiha, causing Naruto's blush to deepen.

'Sasuke never joked around like this,' thought the blond, as Sasuke moved to sit next to him and not on him.

"You know, I would never let Kyuubi harm you," affirmed the younger teen.

"I am used to being desired by others for different reasons; my name, my looks, my Sharingan," informed the pale youth.

"I am not like those people, Sasuke." Cerulean eyes fiercely looked at coal-black eyes for the first time since opening them.

"No, you are not. Although I never said you were, unless you desire me as well," smirked the Uchiha.

Naruto blushed again. "In your dreams. For your information, I already have someone," stated the teen matter-of-factly. He then remembered his earlier doubts concerning Kouya and Sasuke, before the whole Kyuubi-dream thing. He lost a bit of his steam and calmed down as other thoughts took precedence.

"Oh yeah. Who?" Sasuke instantly sensed the change in Naruto's demeanor.

"A-a girl," answered the blond youth, face turning away from the Uchiha.

"I would hope so, unless you really were turned on by Kyuubi's little show," taunted the Uchiha, hoping to distract Naruto from whatever dark thoughts plaguing his mind. Although Kouya was not a subject he wanted to dwell on.

Naruto snorted. "If I were into guys, I would not be attracted to a jackass like you."

Sasuke smirked. 'He is so easy to manipulate.'

"Hn. Then who would be worthy of your attentions, usuratonkachi?"

"Umm,…I don't know." Blond brows furrowed and pink lips in a slight pout, he considered his options. 'Shikamaru is too lazy. Our dates would be boring and I would have to come up with everything. Kiba…Hell no! Dog breath is more annoying than me and probably has fleas. Choji would choose food over me anytime and leave me hanging. Bushy-brows…ha, ha, ha, no. Shino, well, the whole bug thing is kinda creepy. Kankuro is just not my type. Gaara needs to work on his personality more so that he doesn't inspire fear at a single look. Kakashi-sensei is a little old for me, not to mention a big pervert. Neji is…possible. He used to be a fate-obsessed arrogant prick, but he's changed.

"Neji."

Sasuke snorted disbelievingly. "Hyuuga. Are you joking? You call me an arrogant bastard, but Neji…h-he is…what do you see in him?"

"I am NOT attracted to guys, but I can see how girls can finds him attractive. Besides, Neji has changed. When you left, we got closer. Actually, I grew closer to the rest of the rookie nine and team Gai. They respect me and believe in me."

"You have become quite popular, Uzumaki. The Hokage's favorite, surrounded by all those friends," replied the Uchiha bitterly.

"Yeah, I guess, except…you weren't here," revealed the fox-teen, noting the Uchiha's tone. Naruto silently regarded the Uchiha next to him.

"What about you? Are you interested in someone?"

"No."

"I think I remember a certain Uchiha with a goal of restoring his clan. You better get on that. The life span of a ninja is significantly lower than a civilian," half-joked the blond.

"Hn."

"So you aren't seeing someone now?"

"No."

"What have you been doing the past five days?"

"Dobe, what part of sick and closed off from the outside world do you not understand?" A few more minutes of silence passed.

"It's getting late. I have plans tomorrow so I'll see you later."

"Plans, right," whispered the Uchiha distractedly.

oooooooooo TBC ooooooooooo

Thank you for reading this chapter. Anything you have to say in the form of a review will be much appreciated.

Ja ne!!


	6. Chapter 6

Hello to any new readers. Hope you like this chapter.

A/N: Sasuke is written in Kouya's (female) perspective during the day and as Sasuke (male) at night. Sorry for the confusion.

Key: "talking", 'thinking', **Kyuubi's input**

April 12th, 2008

Chapter 6:

"I assure you, that Tsunade-sama is doing everything she can for you," said Shizune to the glaring raven-haired beauty. "You presented a real challenge for her. I haven't seen her this determined to crack a medical mystery in a while. She has been at it all night."

"Hn. Can you tell me anything else?" asked the girl, desperate for news.

"Be patient, Sasuke-kun," said Shizune with a reassuring smile. At Kouya's frustrated sigh she added, "It's not so bad being a woman. Maybe a little empathy will do you some good."

Kouya sent her a murderous glare.

"Tsunade-sama will send for you if she has an update."

"This is so troublesome. I can't even go on a mission in this form because someone might find out," complained the Uchiha.

"Can you continue as a shinobi in that form?" came a voice from the side door.

"Tsunade-sama…" said Shizune.

"I have a mission for you. Are you up for it?" asked Tsunade with a wicked gleam in her honey-colored eyes. She was currently leaning against the frame of the door.

Kouya took in the Hokage's appearance. She looked tired and there were circles under her eyes. Tsunade always made sure that any signs of age were removed from the eyes of others. 'She probably heard the whole exchange between myself and Shizune-san.' Kouya raised an elegant eyebrow, "What would you have me do, Hokage-sama?"

"We will use your predicament to our advantage, of course."

At this, dark eyes narrowed before shifting to read Shizune's face, but she revealed nothing.

"I'm listening."

"How are your skills in that form?" asked Tsunade as she moved to sit behind her desk. A couple of stacks were already waiting to be attended to.

"It took a little getting used to—a few adjustments, but I continued to train in this body. My talents are not an issue."

"Hmm. In that case, I have an "A" ranked mission for you and a partner."

Kouya gave a slight nod indicating that Tsunade could continue. She opened a folder and pulled out a photo. She passed it across the desk. Kouya walked up to the desk, arms crossed over her chest. Tsunade began to read the file on the man in the photo.

"Yagami, Shigure. He is a rogue samurai in tea country. An excellent swordsman and very intelligent. The daimyo has asked that we dispose of him quickly and quietly. Yagami has been acting against the current daimyo for months now, but has stepped up his threat in the form of attempted murder. Samurai and civilian law enforcement officers have attempted to capture him, but all have failed -- they paid with their lives. A month ago, I sent a three-man squad to gather information on Yagami- habits, routines, weaknesses, personality and security assessments…Team Shikamaru came up with an interesting indulgence of Yagami's…"

She paused for dramatic effect and looked directly into Kouya's ebony eyes. "He occasionally visits geisha establishments; during the day, too. Cheaper rates." She smirked as she saw the dawning look of comprehension cross the girl's face.

"I've considered leaving Yamanaka to carry out the assassination, but honestly, she is not ready. Ten-ten and Hinata would not be able to…pull it off. The three of them are excellent kunoichi, but they work better in teams. This mission requires quick planning and the ability to alter a plan if something goes wrong. To kill an unarmed man while pretending to be something you are not…well, they are just not ready. Sakura and Kurenai are my best bet, but they are away…," she dropped off regarding the Uchiha.

Kouya was digesting the details and requirements of the assignment. Her crossed arms had fallen to her side during the reciting of the mission. Her small fists clenched at her predicament. Her brows were furrowed as she considered her role in the mission.

"Yagami apparently has high taste when it comes to his women. No one can deny that you are beautiful, Sasuke-kun," taunted the Hokage. "I have no doubt that you will succeed. You are one of the best shinobi in the village. Your skill with a blade is second to none. The stealth and cunning nature of the mission is no problem for you; neither is the actual assassination." Ebony eyes narrowed its gaze on the desk as the girl listened to the compliments of the Godaime. "The art of the shinobi is centered on deception, ne?" added Tsunade.

"And my partner?" asked the raven-haired youth.

"It will have to be someone you work well with. Someone who can take over the mission should you fail. Someone who you trust with your life as well as your secret," said Tsunade suggestively.

Kouya looked up to meet the Hokage's knowing gaze.

"Hn," she paused for a moment, "When do we leave?"

"As soon as you inform your partner," she answered seriously. "The requirements of the mission are in this folder, as well as all the information gathered by Team Shikamaru. If there is nothing else, you are dismissed.

"Understood." Kouya bowed and exited the room.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The morning fog present when Kouya went to the Hokage's was now gone. More people were out strolling the streets of Konoha, though it was still early. Kouya walked slowly toward the Uchiha district in deep thought.

"Ohayo, Kouya-chan," came a smooth voice ahead of her.

Beautiful dark eyes redirected on the speaker, then narrowed.

"Hyuuga." She gave a curt nod then continued walking.

"You are up early. Where is Naruto-kun?" politely inquired the Byakugan user, as he moved to walk next to the girl.

"Probably in bed with a stream of drool escaping his mouth," guessed the raven-haired beauty.

Neji laughed lightly. "Kouya. Have you had breakfast yet?"

Kouya paused. Neji failed to see the brief look of shock on her face before she recovered.

"Unfortunately, I am meeting Naruto-kun for breakfast." She tried to infuse a bit of affection to Naruto's name without letting her disgust/irritaion for both Uzumaki and Hyuuga, slip through.

"Hmm, another time then."

"Perhaps," said Kouya sweetly. She gave another curt nod and walked briskly home. 'The sooner I leave for this mission the sooner I can return and find out a cure from Tsunade.' She tried not to dwell on the Hyuuga's growing attraction to her.

When she reached the Uchiha manor she quickly packed her bag. Changing into a long, navy blue yukata, she wrapped bandages on her arms, mid-fingers to elbows. She tied a simple crimson obi on her waist and used a matching ribbon to bind her long raven hair in a high bun. A few strands framed her face. She strapped her sword, Kusanagi, to her back and grabbed her bag from the bed. She sighed in resignation, nervousness consuming the usually stoic Uchiha. 'I'm just stalling. The dobe will understand.' With that in mind, Kouya left the house, heading toward the poorer section of town. She decided to jump the rooftops to avoid anymore unwanted meetings, especially with the Hyuuga.

The cluttered buildings were taller and more complex in this district. There was little cohesiveness in the architecture of the buildings. Odd additions were made throughout the years to accommodate the rising population. The buildings had metal pipes and wood shingles on them. Modern buildings mixed with the traditional older ones. Random signs and billboards begged for attention while lush trees interjected the neighborhood in no particular order. Huge branches curved around and through buildings. Naruto's neighborhood sharply contrasted the simple traditional style of the prestigious Uchiha district.

Kouya spotted Naruto's apartment on the last level and decided to land on the balcony. Opening the glass doors, the Uchiha walked in and closed the door behind her. 'The dobe is still asleep. Figures,' mentally snorted the girl.

She removed her bag and sword and placed it on the floor. She stood up straight to take in the small living quarters of her best friend/rival. 'Hn. I have never been inside of the dobe's apartment before. It is surprisingly clean, shabby, but neat.' Dark eyes scanned the room. Ahead of him was the kitchen/dining area, which was open to the rest of the apartment. The kitchen was compact with clean dishes on the drying rack and small appliances. A small table with one mismatched chair sat in the center of the room. On the right were two dressers, one tall and the other long with a mirror. On the latter, were Naruto's neatly folded hitaiate, a brush, and a couple of bottles of cologne. 'Those were gifts from Sakura.' To his left were an old desk, chair and bookshelf. On the desk was a small TV set as well as the usual clutter found on a desk. Various scrolls and books filled the bookshelf. The only thing that could be considered messy, other than the poorly patched second-hand furniture, were the various motivational posters taped randomly throughout the apartment. Another interesting fact was that a lot of potted plants of various sizes were in the apartment. A wall shelf held three small plants, one large one was by the dinette table, and another was on the nightstand. The surprising thing was that they were all alive and healthy.

Kouya finally rested her gaze on the sleeping figure to her right. Spiky blond hair framed a tan whiskered face. It was quiet and Kouya was thankful that Naruto did not snore. They did camp together on missions. 'I remember thinking that the dobe would be just as loud asleep as he was awake. But there's the trail of drool.' Kouya leaned over the bed, close to the teen.

"Get up, dobe. We have a mission."

"Hmm…okay, Sasuke-teme," mumbled the fox vessel rolling away from the deep voice.

Heaving a sigh of irritation, Kouya swiftly pulled the thin sheets back and off the bed. Naruto immediately assumed the fetal position with his only pillow covering his face. Kouya rolled her eyes and pulled up the shades on the window. She then opened the two large windows overlooking the busy streets, allowing sunlight and morning noise to penetrate Naruto's senses. Turning back to the curled up fox-teen, she yanked the pillow away and swatted the complaining teen in the head.

"Okay, okay. Teme." The blond rolled off of the bed and ran an impatient hand through his messy locks. The other hand rubbed morning crust from eyes that had yet to open. Yawning loudly, the teen trudged off to the bathroom half asleep with his eyes still closed.

Dark eyes blinked in shock. 'That dobe. He didn't even notice it was me in Kouya's form.' She refrained from rolling her eyes again when she heard the sound of the shower being turned on. She then remade the bed and packed Naruto's bag for him. It did not take very long since Naruto's stuff was organized and easily found. She grabbed her own bag and sword and set it on the bed next to Naruto's bag. Sitting on the bed, the girl decided to wait for Naruto.

Her ebony eyes spotted the small collection of picture frames on the tall dresser. The picture on the forefront was familiar, for she had one as well in her own room. It was a picture of the newly formed Team Seven. Kakashi-sensei had his hands on Naruto's and Sasuke's heads. Both boys were clearly displeased with posing together; probably after an argument. Another frame held an autographed photo of an injured Naruto in Snow Country receiving a kiss from the actress Yukie Fujikaze. A lot of the photos featured Naruto with the rest of the rookie nine and team Gai. Some were even photos of friends Naruto made in other villages, like the one of the new Kazekage, Gaara, and his siblings. Naruto also had a photo of his faithful followers, Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon. Jiraiya and a couple of frogs smiled in one while Kakashi and his band of nin-dogs posed in another. Tsunade and Shizune smiled brightly in one photo while the one next to it showed Iruka-sensei eating with Naruto at Ichiraku.

A pang of jealousy and loss struck the Uchiha. She quickly suppressed her insecurities when Naruto emerged from a billow of steam wearing a small towel.

"Kouya?!" Alert cobalt eyes scanned the apartment before redirecting on the girl on the bed. "Where's Sasuke-teme?" asked the blond tilting his head in confusion.

"Usuratonkachi." The raven-haired beauty crossed her arms and closed her eyes in anticipation of the explosion. She sat arrogantly on the bed with her legs crossed.

Cerulean eyes widened in disbelief. His brain tried to digest all of the input, which hinted at an impossible answer. His eyes searched for answers. Two packed bags for traveling and Kouya on the bed—everything about her screamed Uchiha. In his mind, he could see Kyuubi smirking knowingly, but he refused to accept this.

"That's not funny, Sasuke," he stated seriously, dropping the somewhat affectionate –teme in his anger. "Drop the henge, NOW." His deep, low voice was tinted with a growl as his eyes narrowed on his 'target'.

Ebony eyes met violet eyes that were shifting slowly towards a red shade. Tension permeated the air. It was nearly silent but for a barely present growl resounding. The street noise from below was not even noticeable to the pair.

"I can't, dob-…" a tanned hand wrapped tightly around a pale throat.

"Don't…just, don't."

Kouya took in Naruto's angry demeanor and murderous intent.

"We have a m-mission," wheezed the girl.

"How long?"

Kouya knew what question Naruto was referring to and it was not the mission.

"Since before you met Kouya."

At this, Naruto applied even more pressure. Kouya could have easily removed Naruto's restricting hands, but made no attempt to fight back. 'Naruto must feel betrayed. Humiliated. None of his other friends have ever hurt him the way I have.' Kouya observed her teammate. Angry tears had welled up in Naruto's intense violet eyes, but Kouya refused to allow guilt to enter her heart. 'It is not my fault. He was responsible for my predicament. This may turn into a full-scale battle.' She continued to calmly watch the volatile teen before her. Slim pale arms, bent at the elbows, braced the bed behind her as she supported her weight. Naruto was currently straddling the girl with his right hand on her throat. The other hand continually clenched and unclenched, practically itching to cause physical harm to the beautiful creature below him. Violet eyes shifted furiously as they searched for an answer in Kouya's familiar dark eyes. Naruto's usual grinning mouth was in an angry snarl with elongated canines gleaming in the morning light. His whisker marks were more prominent and Kouya could feel the slight puncturing of her soft skin by lengthened claws, drawing blood. A few drops of water from Naruto's still wet hair fell on his bare chest as his lungs furiously inhaled and exhaled.

Kouya would not know of the confusing dreams that had plagued Naruto for a second night in a row. Different scenarios involving Kouya one minute and Sasuke the next attacked his dreams. The sexual nature and the allure of the pleasurable acts confused him as much as they enticed him. 'What is he thinking,' wondered the Uchiha. She had yet to break eye contact with the blond.

Then the whiskered teen did something Kouya did not expect. He suddenly crushed his mouth to hers. The hand that was previously squeezing her neck had slid up to clench through her bound raven hair, causing the ribbon to loosen its hold. Naruto's left hand snaked its way behind to the middle of her back, clutching the fabric, as he crushed her slim form against his own firm one.

Ebony eyes widened in shock. The Uchiha did not respond to the kiss but she did not push him away either. Naruto continued kissing her as he spoke.

"You're a …(kiss)…bastard…(kiss)…you know…" The blond angled his head for better access to Kouya's slightly open mouth. "I…(kiss)…hate you…(kiss)…" He briefly tightened his hold on her hair to prove his point. He then paused in his assault, resting his forehead against Kouya's. Both teens were breathing deeply. Two hearts pounded in the excitement of the situation; one more so than the other.

Naruto took even breaths and slowly calmed down. His nails and teeth shortened to their normal length. Violet eyes that had not completely turned red, returned to their original deep blue shade. Naruto did not want to harm Kouya, well he did, but he knew that was unacceptable. So he took his time calming down. His arms still held Kouya to his body intimately. But he had to compose himself first because even Kyuubi was riled up inside, wanting to be let out. Trusting that he was in control of his body at last, the blond gently released the girl and opened his eyes to meet dark ones. He then laughed at Kouya's appearance and sorry attempt at a glare.

Her usual perfectly styled hair was a tousled mess and her mouth was bruised from the force of the kiss. Her yukata had loosened at the top showing more of her deliciously pale neck and shoulders. She narrowed her eyes causing Naruto to smirk. His cerulean eyes scanned her body for injuries and spotted the obvious handprint and puncture wounds on her neck. Concern replaced the conceited look on the whiskered teen's face. Kouya snorted at the change in her teammate's countenance. She immediately tensed and braced herself when Naruto shifted closer.

"Your neck," supplied the teen, his voice still rough. He took in her guarded position and narrowed gaze, and sighed. Then, before the girl could react, he pushed her to the bed, grabbing both of her wrists with his left hand to press above her head. He used his body to hold her down as she growled in irritation.

"It's fine, dobe."

'Hmm. It's funny hearing that name in her voice,' thought the fox-teen. Ignoring his teammate, he placed his right hand on her chin to turn her head as he inspected the damage.

"Hmm." Cobalt eyes shifted to angry dark eyes, as he considered his options. 'It can't be helped.' Grabbing her chin firmly, but not hard enough to bruise, he tilted her head back. Moving his head closer to the cut made from his thumb, he channeled chakra to his saliva. The sweet metallic smell assaulted his senses, rousing the fox within once again.

"W-what are you doing, dobe?" asked the beauty, brows furrowed and ever-present frown in place.

A heavily saliva-coated tongue lapped at the wound sensuously (at least in Kouya's opinion). The girl struggled a bit but sighed in resignation. She tried not to think about the pressure of her best friend/rival's body on her own. His scent reached her nose. It was a very masculine smell that made one think of lush forests, and it was mixed with a pleasant fragrance from his shower gel and shampoo.

Naruto turned her head to reach the cuts made from his fingers, and lapped at those wounds. When he was satisfied he shifted to lick Kouya's lips before getting off of the girl. Kouya glared at the smirking blond, using the back of a slim hand to wipe at the blood-tinged saliva.

Naruto pointedly did a once-over, causing Kouya to take in her own appearance. Scowl in place, she straightened her yukata and ran her fingers through her hair. Finding her ribbon, she tied her hair in a low ponytail.

"So what's this I hear about a mission?" asked Naruto cockily.

Kouya rolled her eyes. "Don't you have questions for me?" Her eyes finally looked at the teen—really looked. The towel was hanging dangerously low on tan hips. Kouya was surprised that it managed to stay on all this time.

Naruto noticed her staring and smirked at the light blush across her nose. "I figured you can tell me along the way," shrugged the fox-teen.

"Hn." Kouya considered that upcoming conversation before saying, "Well, get dressed, usuratonkachi."

"You seem to be enjoying the view," laughed the whiskered teen.

Kouya just threw a pillow at his face in response.

TBC

Hope you liked the chapter. Drop a review or ask me a question if you like.


	7. Chapter 7

March 18th, 2008

Chapter 7:

"So basically, what you are saying, is that this is all my fault," stated the blond as cerulean eyes glanced sideways at his companion.

"Yes." The Uchiha was currently walking next to Naruto with her eyes closed and her head down, arms crossed over her small chest.

"Grr! Why didn't you tell me earlier? Why did you go on those dates with me?" he could not help the accusatory tone that he used.

"This was not something I wanted to share with anyone," supplied the girl. At Naruto's snort she added, "Would you have done differently, in my place? Would you have come to me?"

Naruto paused in thought. 'Go to him for help? Yeah, right. He would have laughed in my face.' The blond teen heaved a sigh.

"Judging from your silence, I take it that's a 'no'," smugly replied the girl.

The pair have been walking for many hours, filling the silence with questions, answers, and information. The sun was strong and bright, but the shady trees that their path cut through mercifully shielded them from the brunt of its shine. They have been alone for quite some time, being several miles from a village. Naruto was informed of their mission and read through the mission scroll.

"Teme! T-then why did you go on those dates with me?" 'Got you now.' The Uchiha did not miss a beat.

"I seem to remember telling you 'no', and you finding that answer unacceptable." Naruto was about to counter but Kouya continued, "I did not want to blow my identity. So I went along with it."

'Hmph. Then why the second date? You didn't have to show up. You could have …stood me up.' Cerulean eyes glanced at his companion trying to discern his feelings. Kouya's profile was strikingly beautiful. 'The date itself was…nice. You were nice.' A small smile crossed the fox-teen's face as he returned his gaze to the ground, walking in silence.

"The day is ending. We should find a safe place off the main road and set up camp." Ebony eyes squinted at the swiftly departing sun.

"Huh? We could cover more ground through dusk. You tired already, teme?"

"Hn. Preferably a place by a lake or stream," said the Uchiha, dark eyes searching the area.

Clearly being ignored, the fox-vessel sighed, before sniffing the air for a source of water. Finding one half a mile away, the teen walked off saying a quiet, "Follow me."

Veering off the main path, Naruto led them to a small, secluded clearing by a fresh-water stream. A variety of trees provided adequate shade from the still setting sun. A few flowers decorated the serene area while the usual sounds of nature complimented the scene. Naruto could literally feel the contentment of the kitsune within him due to the environment. Kouya brushed past her companion and said, "You find something to eat and I will set up camp."

"O-okay. I guess I'll go fishing," answered the teen, already eyeing the stream. He was a little put off by Kouya's attitude.

"I am not in the mood for fish," came the cool reply.

Naruto turned to face the Uchiha, who was already unpacking their bags. 'Why do I get the feeling that she is trying to get rid of me?' "Whatever," grumbled the teen, before leaving the clearing.

About twenty minutes later, the whiskered teen returned with strips of meat from his kill. He walked over to the fire pit and stuck the meat on sticks. He lit a fire and started to cook their dinner. The camp was fully prepared, tent and all. The sun was gone while a few stars dotted the night sky.

'Where's the teme?' wondered the teen before sensing said person in the tent. Naruto went to the stream to wash up, allowing their meal to cook in the flames. His brows furrowed in thought over is friend's behavior. 'Did I do something wrong?' He turned around as the Uchiha emerged from the tent. 'Oh.' The blond mentally sighed when his very MALE teammate glared at him dressed in a simple shorts and shirt combo.

"Sasuke…dinner should be ready soon." He slowly rose from the ground, bringing a teapot of water to heat in the flames, and walked over to the fire to check on the meat. Liking his meat a little more on the raw side, he grabbed his portion and began to eat. "Mmmm." He smiled encouragingly at Sasuke who appeared to be lost in thought. "You better eat that or it will burn."

The Uchiha retrieved his portion and slowly ate. They continued to eat in silence. 'Maybe some tea will calm him.' Sasuke sat perfectly still watching the flames. The orange flames appeared to be dancing in the Uchiha's dark eyes. Retrieving the teapot, Naruto poured the steaming water into two cups with teabags in them. "Here, teme."

Sasuke silently took the cup not saying a word.

"Grr! Teme!" growled the blond teen. "What's up with y-?"

"I'm tired," interrupted the dark-haired teen. "We move out at dawn." With that he left for the tent, leaving Naruto the task of cleaning up the camp for the night. Naruto decided to read more of the file for their mission. 'Maybe that's why he's brooding.' Nearly an hour passed. He dumped the unfinished tea onto the low flames, putting it out. He took the time to clean up a bit before entering the tent as well. He saw his teammate turn over with something in his hands, but ignored him. Stripping down to his boxers, he joined the Uchiha under the light blankets.

"You have first watch, dobe," informed the Uchiha, who was facing away from Naruto.

"I have a clone out there. Now are you gonna tell me what crawled up your ass and died?" At the Uchiha's silence he said, "Okaay. What about our mission? I read the rest of the file just now. Your role in it is…interesting." At this Sasuke snorted. "How long are you a g-girl?" The blond turned to face his friend, laying on his side.

"You haven't figured it our yet, usuratonkachi? During the day I am female. As soon as the sun sets I am male."

"Oohh. (clears throat). Well, the mission seems straightforward. It may take some time to seduce Yagami and gain his trust though." The whiskered teen laid back down with his head in his hands. "Baachan suggested that I be an attendant to the geisha house-- doing chores and running errands so that I'll be able to stay close." Naruto looked up at the top of the tent. "Is there an antidote or some other cure?"

"If there was, I would not still be changing, would I?" came the bitter reply.

"Tsunade-baachan will find something. She's the best medical nin around."

"Hn."

"So, umm…what's it like being a girl?" Sasuke was silent for a while and Naruto thought that he would not answer.

"You should have some idea, what with your sexy no jutsu."

"I've only stayed in that form long enough to give someone a nose bleed-- few minutes at the most and just for laughs."

"I feel vulnerable and weak."

"Really? But I thought your movements would be the same in your male form."

"It is hard to explain. As Sasuke, I get a lot of attention and respect, but people know when to give me space, for the most part. They know I am strong and expect if of me, but they don't know me. As Kouya, people seem more…attuned to me and what I think. Not to mention the desire directed my way is on a different level than my typical fan girls."

"I won't let anyone harm you. I promise." The blond faced the Uchiha again.

"Dobe, I can take care of myself."

"(snorts) 'cause you know everything. Well, except for how to act like a woman. Or how to be seductive."

"Fooled you, though."

"Hah! That's because I don't like my women to be all girly and weak."

"What about Sakura?" The dark-haired teen shifted to lie on his back, turning his head to watch his teammate.

"Apparently you haven't been on the receiving end of one of her blows. Sakura is not weak. Besides, I don't love Sakura." At the raise of a delicate brow in doubt he added, "Not anymore. That was just a crush. She's sort of like a sister now. A very bossy one who hits too hard."

"Hn."

It was silent once again, but unwanted thoughts kept surfacing in the blond's mind. One being how they did not speak of the new level their relationship seemed to be at. 'He didn't even say anything to my desiring and kissing Kouya. That's confusing on its own; to know that the girl I want is really my best friend and rival. Good thing I don't like the teme. I'm not gay.' At this the kitsune snorted, but Naruto ignored it. Blue eyes gazed at the silent Uchiha but spotted an open book next to Sasuke's shoulder. "What's that you're reading?"

Without breaking eye contact with the top of the tent, he said, "Its nothing."

Reaching over the teen, Naruto replied, "Nothing my ass." When Sasuke did not make a move to stop him, he grabbed the thick book to inspect it. "The Art of Seduction." The Uchiha turned his head away to glare at nothing in particular. "Anything interesting?" asked the blond with a bit of humor coating his words.

"Go to sleep, dobe," whispered the avenger seriously.

Naruto decided not to bother the teen further. Handing the book back, he settle back down and slowly drifted off to sleep. The raven-haired teen watched his teammate sleep for a while before returning to his place in the book. He read for many hours ignoring his teammate who tended to move around a lot. Naruto even snuggled into the Uchiha sighing contentedly with a goofy smile on his face. The Uchiha had glared daggers at the clingy blond but decided it was too much of a hassle to disentangle himself from Naruto's clutches without waking him up.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Ebony eyes squinted open reluctantly. It was morning, still a bit dark, but a quick feel informed the Uchiha that she was a female. They should be waking up and preparing to leave, but Kouya was too comfortable. She just wanted to succumb to the blissful, dreamless state of sleep and indulge in the warmth for a little longer.

'Hmm. It's so warm.' She shifted a bit before tensing at the restrictive embrace. "D-dobe?" Silence continued, so the dark-haired beauty tried to wiggle out of the embrace. When the hold on her body tightened, she gave a quick shove with her elbow to her teammates ribs. Naruto gave a pained groan. "Wha-?" came the confused reply to an empty tent. Kouya had left for the stream to quickly wash up and change. Cerulean eyes blinked in confusion, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. At the unexpected return of memories of 'watching' the camp, the blond immediately remembered their mission and laid his head down lazily. He also realized that Sasuke had popped his clone. 'Teme.' He brought a hand up to rub his face and wipe at the crust in his eyes. Heaving a yawn, the fox-vessel began to stretch out the kinks in his body, loosening his muscles. Kouya entered at that moment, taking in Naruto's almost feline-like pose.

"Hurry up. We leave in half an hour."

"Yeah, yeah." The blond ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it further, before reaching for his clothes. Kouya had already left him. At the smell of boiling water to his sensitive nose, Naruto realized that she had started preparing breakfast. Naruto quickly took down the tent and packed up their gear. After breakfast, which consisted of cup ramen and tea, the pair quickly re-packed their belongings and returned to the main road.

Naruto was currently walking with his raised arms crossed behind his head. The Uchiha, dressed in a lavender summer kimono with wildflowers for design, was reading the 'educational' book again. The pair had been traveling for hours and would reach their destination in a couple of days. According to the map, they would reach a small seaside village soon. They decided they would spend the night in town instead of camping again. Well, more like Naruto suggested and Kouya gave a grunt in agreement. Naruto had made several attempts to make small talk and converse with his companion, but the girl's attention was directed at the book and it never strayed. Upon reaching town, the smell of food immediately reached the whiskered teen's nose. Kouya gave a very unladylike snort to the sound of the blond's stomach growling.

"Can we eat first?"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"One room please." The blond was a little peeved because Kouya wanted to get a room before getting dinner. 'I'm starving.'

The old innkeeper gazed at the blond youth for a moment before shifting her gaze to Kouya. Her shrewd eyes held disapproval and objection at the situation.

"We have some smaller rooms, decently priced, if you prefer two rooms."

"Two?" asked Naruto uncomprehendingly.

"One is fine, baa-san," said the Uchiha with a glare of her own.

"We're only staying the night and I don't have much money," supplied the whiskered teen with an infectious smile.

The old woman looked like she would object further, but turned to retrieve a single room key. Naruto paid the woman and thanked her. They went to the second floor and found their room. When they entered they noticed how small and 'decent' the room was. The television from the next room could clearly be heard, as well as the street noise outside of the small window.

Naruto scratched the back of his head, "Heh, heh…(clears throat)…well…"

"Why do you have to be so cheap?" Kouya walked over to the closet to pull out a futon.

"Not all of us were born into money?" Naruto also walked over to the closet to retrieve a futon, but… "Hey, where's mine?" He turned to Kouya as if she took it. The raven-haired beauty only shrugged unconcernedly and continued to set up her bed. Naruto searched the tiny room, hoping to find some hidden compartment, but came up empty-handed. He turned towards Kouya, who was unpacking some clothes. She got up and excused herself from the room to head to the bathroom. Naruto set his things on the other side of the futon and sat down to wait for the Uchiha. Stomach growling, the teen pondered on what to eat.

When the Uchiha returned as Sasuke and not Kouya, Naruto said, "Ohh, sunset already. Well, let's go. I'm starving."

Sasuke, dressed in a navy t-shirt with khaki-colored shorts, repacked his items. The pair soon left to eat dinner—the Uchiha paying, of course.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Unlocking the door, Sasuke immediately removed his shoes and walked over to the futon. He settled once again on the futon with his book in his hands. Naruto hesitantly walked over and sat down at the edge of the futon, peeking at the Uchiha.

"You chose this place. YOU should sleep on the floor." He added a nice glare for effect.

"B-but, Sasuke. I-I…"

The Uchiha had rolled over, effectively ignoring the whining session the fox-vessel would have started, and leaving some space on the futon for him. Naruto unzipped his jacket and took off his pants. Climbing in, under the thin blanket, the teen settled in. He was nowhere near tired though; but he had nothing to do. Sasuke continued to read in silence laying on his side, his raised head supported by a hand while his other hand held open the book. Naruto concentrated on staying quiet. This lasted for about twenty minutes before the whiskered teen leaned over and tried to see the book the Uchiha was wrapped up in. The Uchiha immediately closed it. Sitting up, he repacked his book and looked at Naruto, who sat up as well. Naruto was about to apologize or defend himself from anything his teammate would throw at him (verbally and literally), but the look in his friend's eyes stopped him. It was a dead serious expression, as if he had come to a decision.

"Sasuke?" he asked quietly, tilting his head in confusion.

"Naruto. Our mission, or my mission, will not take place in some upscale geisha establishment."

"Huh? But I thought…," he stopped when the pale teen held up a hand.

"It is more like a brothel, well not quite." He paused to allow that to soak in his partner's head. It was a very delayed reaction that followed. But he did not disappoint.

Arms wildly waving and cerulean eyes wide open, he exclaimed, "What? No. NO! Baachan is out of her mind. You are not taking this mission."

"It is done. I have already accepted this mission, dobe."

Naruto could detect a hint of bitterness in Sasuke's tone, though the Uchiha was still expressionless, betraying none of his doubts or fears.

"Then un-accept it." The Uchiha gave a condescending look at that answer. "B-but, that means…y-you would h-have to…" Dark eyes closed in acceptance. Panicked, the blond tried again to be the voice of reason. "You didn't know. Baachan can't expect you to…"

"I knew, well…suspected," interrupted the avenger.

"Sasuke…," came the unsure voice. "I-I…(clears throat)…I don't want you to do this." Though his voice was low, almost a whisper, the emotion in his blue orbs was unmistakable and unwavering.

The Uchiha met his gaze and said, "This is just another mission."

"Bullshit!" The blond was so angry. He did not know why he was arguing. He just wanted Sasuke to fight and object to this mission. He did not want to see the Uchiha accept it so easily.

"If you were in my place, would you object?" asked the Uchiha.

"Yes!" The blond answered quickly without thought.

The Uchiha sneered, "For someone who intends to be hokage, you sure run away a lot. You can't just pass on a mission just because it is difficult or you don't like it. Because the truth is, someone else would have to take the mission—someone you know."

"But why you?" shouted the blond, but lowered his voice, realizing for the first time where they were and that others could hear them.

"Hn. You can't afford to be so naïve, dobe." The raven-haired teen crossed his arms and directed his gaze to the floor.

'But…I don't understand. How can he be okay with this? Isn't he scared? Disgusted?' Cerulean eyes looked up to study the pale teen sitting before him. 'Would I be able to carry off this mission? I mean, I am his back-up and all. I don't know the first thing about seducing a m-man. Book or not, I don't think I could pull it off. Sasuke is not a stranger to the concept of people wanting him. But me, yeah right. Plus, I'm still a virgin. I don't have any experience, I…wait.' Blue eyes widened in realization. 'Experience. Does Sasuke have…that? Who knows what went on when the teme was with Orochimaru. Three years is a long time. He DID return different. Stronger, but more distant. He never told me what occurred during his stay with the snake and I knew not to ask.' Blond brows furrowed. The fox-teen cleared his throat attracting his partner's attention.

"Have you, um…well…,"tried the blond.

"Spit it out, usuratonkachi." The blond fidgeted a bit, trying to organize his thoughts.

"Well, if it were me, I don't think I could, um…do it. I'm still a v-virgin and I don't want my first time to be with our target or some other customer." Onyx eyes narrowed at the comment.

"Hn. I was thinking the same thing."

"Y-you were?" asked the fox-vessel shocked.

"Dobe, I want, no need, you to do a favor for me. I need your help before I start this mission."

"O-okay. Anything, just name it." Naruto was surprised to see a hint of a blush cross the pale complexion. Steeling his resolve, the Uchiha took a deep and slow, but distinctly shaky breath.

"Sasuke?" Filled with sympathy and helplessness, the blond shifted closer to his rival and best friend, their knees touching. Onyx eyes hesitantly met a pair of concerned azure ones, before dropping its gaze a bit lower. In that brief glance, Naruto could read some of the doubt and fear within his friend, as well as something else—something stronger. 'What was that? It's like he's afraid I'll reject him or something. Is this 'favor' that difficult to ask?'

A slim hand rose to caress a whiskered cheek briefly before Naruto felt another hand on his other cheek. This confused Naruto.

"Wha-mph?" His question was cut off by Sasuke touching his lips to Naruto's. 'What is he doing? The teme!' Naruto was about to roughly push his rival away, but Sasuke pulled away. And to Naruto's further shock, the Uchiha grabbed the bottom of his shirt and dragged it over his head. Naruto watched on in shock with his mouth open. The removal of the dark shirt revealed a pale, tousled-haired Uchiha. With a flick of his head (which Naruto found sexy), his face was once again slightly shrouded by long, dark locks. When those dark eyes met Naruto's, the whiskered teen snapped out of his state of shock.

"S-sasuke?" asked the blond uncertainly. "Is this the f-favor you wanted?"

"You said you could not accept a mission like this as a virgin. I agreed," answered the avenger as if it were obvious.

"Well, yeah, but…y-your first time should be with someone special," tried the blond.

"You once referred to me as your brother," supplied the raven.

"That would be incest," said the blond matter-of-factly.

"Good thing we're not brothers. I'd have to kill you."

"Ha, Ha," answering sarcasm with sarcasm.

"Quit stalling. You promised."

Naruto was in a state.

**I agree. Quit stalling**.

'Who asked you? Go back to sleep.'

**I'd rather not, not with the scenery so entertaining**.

'But, its Sasuke! Best friend, rival, teme!'

**Is he not the star of your dreams…nightly?**

'T-that's your fault.'

**On the contrary, that is all you. I just enjoy the show**.

'I don't know. This seems weird.'

**Enough. You are both willing. You desire him. He chose you. Do not mess this up**.

'I desire him?' Opening his eyes, he saw that the Uchiha had his eyes closed as he waited for Naruto's compliance. Naruto hesitantly shifted closer to the Uchiha. Leaning forward, he focused on his best friend's features. 'He's too beautiful.' Clearing his throat, he got Sasuke's attention.

"So how far are we taking this? Er, how far did you get in the book?" asked the blond in a low voice.

"I finished the book this morning. We are going all the way." He smirked arrogantly.

"A-all t-the wa-(gulp)…o-okay," he squeaked. "Umm…"

The two inched closer, Naruto hesitantly wrapped his arms around the Uchiha's slim waist, in an awkward hug. Tucking his head into the crook of Sasuke's shoulder, he avoided the dark gaze.

Knowing that he would have to initiate every move, Sasuke turned his head slightly to drop gentle kisses to the side of Naruto's head, feeling the blond stiffen. With one hand on a hip and the other on a shoulder, the Uchiha worked on the fox-vessel's sensitive earlobe. He smirked again when he felt the whiskered-teen shiver and heard him gasp. Nipping the lobe one last time, the pale teen brushed his lips against the jawline, nibbling here and there. He drifted towards Naruto's neck, using tongue and teeth to tease the sensitive skin. He almost laughed aloud when Naruto unknowingly tilted his head to the side, giving the Uchiha more skin to reach.

The pale avenger was still nervous, but enjoyed the control he seemed to have over the Kyuubi-holder. His confidence only grew, as Naruto would reward him with barely suppressed groans and sharp intakes of breath. Wanting to reach more of the tan skin and earn more delicious reactions from the younger teen, the Uchiha slipped a hand under Naruto's black shirt. He knew he had to handle this carefully, so as not to scare his rival or make him uncomfortable. If he did, Naruto might put a stop to this…experience, and shy away from him. With his hand on the fox-youth's waist, his thumb gently stroked the skin there, silently asking for permission to move forward. He was still occupied with the blond's neck but stopped, when Naruto impatiently pulled back, only to take his shirt off. Sasuke paused at Naruto's anxiousness to continue. 'Maybe this won't be so hard after all.' He studied the boy in front of him. Blond hair fell around the whiskered teen's face unimpeded by a hitaiate. The tan body was trim and completely flawless, thanks to the Kyuubi no kitsune. He was not as slim as Sasuke, but he also was not overly bulky.

"Are you gonna do something or just stare at my body all night. I mean, I know I'm all sexy and stuff, but mphh…," the kiss successfully shut up the blond, and was none too gentle. Sasuke had grabbed Naruto's face, pulling him forward for a harsh meeting of lips.

He pulled away saying, "You talk too much, dobe."

Naruto immediately pouted, causing his friend to smirk. The kiss that followed was soft and more exploratory. Sasuke had run the tip of his tongue along the seam of Naruto's lips and along his teeth before meeting Naruto's own hesitant tongue. The kiss was deeper and seemed to join the pair further as they gave into instinct. Naruto angled his head to plunge deep into the avenger's moist cavern. But alas, this too had to turn into a battle of sorts, for the kiss progressed to something more instinctual, more primal, and definitely more passionate. The two did not mind the roughness. They preferred it this way. They were still best friends, still rivals, and still…males. A battle for dominance was unavoidable for they were each other's half. Perfect opposites that repelled as strongly as they attracted one another. It seemed like they kissed for hours, but only minutes have passed. The pair broke the kiss with Naruto resting his forehead against Sasuke's. They were panting, desperately trying to drag oxygen into their lungs. Eager for more, Naruto practically tackled the Uchiha to the ground, crashing their lips together once more. While he straddled the pale youth, a left hand braced on the futon next to a slim shoulder, his right hand explored the smooth, sensitive skin. Kissing the raven-haired teen to distract him, he ran his hand across the lean chest muscles and down the center of the toned abdominal muscles. He caressed the skin at Sasuke's waist, moving his fingers in a tickling motion. He laughed aloud when Sasuke wiggled a bit and swatted at his hand. The whiskered teen smirked.

"Ticklish, are we?" he teased. When Sasuke directed a glare at him, Naruto playfully nipped at his jaw. Nibbling his way down the slim neck, paying special attention to the junction where shoulder met neck. For some insane reason unknown to him, he wanted to mark the Uchiha, as the raven-haired teen ran his fingers through his hair. He started to suck hard before being stopped by Sasuke with a tug to his blond locks, and he glared as if to ask 'What?'

"You should not leave any marks on my body that might linger tomorrow," advised the Uchiha.

"Hmph." The fox-teen returned to the hollow at his neck, licking and nipping, before making his way down the pale chest. He brushed a thumb across a nipple, back and forth, looking at the Uchiha for a reaction. It peeved him slightly that the teen could lay there expectantly and unfazed. Of course, this only served to challenge him. Not giving the idea much thought, he lowered his head to swipe the flat of his tongue on the sensitive and slowly hardening nipple. He nibbled and licked; anything to get a sign from the stubborn Uchiha. When he was satisfied with his efforts, he returned to the Uchiha's lips, kissing him fiercely while a hand made its way to the hem of the raven teen's shorts. Then, too fast for him to oppose, Sasuke had reversed their positions. Sasuke straddled Naruto and held one wrist down by the blond's head. The other hand took purchase on the blond's hair. He began to lean down when he felt the unmistakable bulge beneath him. He should not have been so surprised, what with their current activities, but he was caught off guard nonetheless. It also alerted him to the fact that Naruto, who was oblivious to the break in pleasure, was enjoying himself. He lowered his head to tease the jawline of the fox-teen, before returning the favor to his neck. Unfortunately for Naruto, he could be marked as much as the Uchiha pleased. He took full advantage and practically tortured the tan-youth's skin with nips, licks, kisses, and bites with lips, tongue, and teeth. Apparently, Naruto was really sensitive and rewarded the pale avenger with pleasant sounds of encouragement, exposing his enjoyment and vulnerability. When Sasuke reached the blond's nipples and said teen grabbed his ass, he tensed but immediately relaxed. Calm and confident once more, he returned his assault on his nipples. When he was satisfied with his work, he moved south, nibbling the soft skin of his rival's stomach. He reached the hem of Naruto's blue boxers (which had orange swirls on them), noting the aroused state the teen was in. Hooking his fingers on the waistband, he slowly started to pull. Naruto opened hazy eyes he had not realized were closed and rose onto his elbows to watch his teammate.

"Lift your hips a little, so I can take these off," commanded the Uchiha.

The blond nodded dumbly and complied. He looked away and blushed slightly when his half-hard cock was exposed, bobbing in the cool air. Naruto could feel the Uchiha's gaze, but he ignored it and laid back down on the futon. When he felt a tentative hold on a very sensitive part of his body, he gasped and flushed in embarrassment. He muffled a moan when the hand on his cock moved up and down bringing him to a fully aroused state. 'It certainly feels…different to have a hand not your own, helping you to masturbate.' Cerulean eyes focused on the ceiling, not able to watch his rival or what he was doing. But when he felt something wet touch the tip of his cock he gasped.

Sasuke smirked at his teammate. 'The dobe is so easy to get a reaction out of, no matter how hard he tries to fight it.' With his hand on the base of the blond's cock, he nibbled along the vein, working his way back up with licks and kisses. Ebony eyes spied a glance at the whiskered face. He snorted at the look of concentration on Naruto's face. Blue eyes were hidden away while a bottom lip was tucked between pearly white teeth. "Don't think so hard, dobe. Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself before the real fun started." When the blond did not react, Sasuke narrowed his eyes. 'The dobe must be really nervous if he did not react to that comment. Well, I will get a reaction out of him.' With that in mind, the Uchiha slowly took in the erect cock, getting a feel for it, by moving slowly up and down. It needed something, so he removed the cock from his mouth and started to lick at the organ to get it wet enough. He tried again, going down on the blond almost to the base.

"(strained gasp)…Sasuke." Tan fingers grabbed at the bedding as his chest rose and fell rapidly. He squirmed a bit, feeling restless and anxious at the same time. Sweat beaded along his brow and a light sheen of it covered his body. 'The feel of my…in his….Ohhh, its indescribable. The warmth, the wetness, that tongue…ahh.' Tan hips slowly rose to meet the bobbing head, wanting more.

Sasuke placed his left hand on Naruto's hip to keep it down and keep him from gagging. His right hand still had a firm grip on the base of the cock with his thumb occasionally teasing the balls below. He continued this course of action for a few minutes drawing moans and groans from the teen beneath him. Naruto had taken to informing his rival of every reaction to every sensation by pulling on the Uchiha's hair or pushing his head further down. The Uchiha released the assaulted cock, feeling daring. His long fingers raked through the course blond curls as he kissed and nipped down to Naruto's sac, teasing the soft skin there. Pausing in his ministrations, the teen glanced at the blond whose lip was bleeding from biting it so hard. Sasuke shifted above the teen to lick at the cut.

"It's my turn," Sasuke whispered against trembling lips. When confused and unfocused blue eyes met a determined onyx pair, Sasuke decided to send a little hint by grinding his cloth- covered hips into Naruto's bare ones. The two of them moaned, surprised at the feel of friction on their sensitive organs. Naruto grinded back, just as eager for the sensations as Sasuke, as he kissed the teen. Sasuke pulled back from his rival's mouth to reach for the bottle of unscented lotion in his bag.

Naruto took this as a moment to lightly suck on the Uchiha's pale neck, licking at the strained muscles. He pouted when Sasuke rose to his knees, shifting to remove his own pants and boxers. He looked on curiously as the raven-haired teen grabbed the underside of his knees and lifted them so that his legs bent. Maybe something would have clicked in his mind when Sasuke shook the bottle, upturned it, and squirted a fair amount of the contents on his fingers. But Naruto was a little preoccupied with checking out his pale and very naked friend. Cerulean eyes focused on the long, erect shaft that bobbed occasionally. When the blond felt something cold, wet, and foreign poking at his entrance, he immediately focused on the situation at hand.

"Hey! What the fuck, teme?!" He tried to close his legs but the Uchiha was sitting between them, giving him a look that clearly asked 'what?'

The whiskered teen, who was currently raised on his elbows, glared at his rival saying, "That's an exit only, buddy."

The Uchiha snorted and asked, "Where were you when I informed you that we were going all the way?"

"I heard that part but,…umm…I-I…"

An elegant brow rose in question.

"I just didn't think that far ahead," the blond finished lamely with a pout. Naruto heard his rival sigh and watched as he shifted to lie between his legs, hooking one arm under and around one tan thigh. Sasuke gave a few licks to Naruto's member.

"Aah, that's better. I like this." The blond visibly relaxed and laid back down on the futon, eyes closed and with a somewhat goofy smile on his face. He moved a hand to grab at Sasuke's hair, and occasionally pulled when the feelings brought on by the skillful Uchiha were too much to handle. Azure eyes immediately shot open when he felt that same intrusion to his entrance. He was about to protest, but the Uchiha chose that moment to give a particularly hard suck to his member. 'Kami. This feels so…I don't know. It's definitely uncomfortable…(hiss)…except when Sasuke does that thing with his teeth. Teasing bastard.' He spied a glance at his rival, immensely turned on by the sight of Sasuke's lips around him and bobbing his head. His long dark bangs kept his dark eyes hidden. The conflicting sensations on his cock and ass were driving him crazy. When Sasuke added another finger, he hissed in pain.

"Sasuke, eh…this hurts." His eyes were closed but shot open once again when the Uchiha hummed on his member; though he was pretty sure that was an indifferent 'hn' than anything else. The blond, reveling in the spine-tingling sensations slowly pumped his cock into the moist heat, groaning as he simultaneously shifted on the fingers inside him. Wanting more, he continued his movements, straining towards…something. His heart was racing and his breathing was erratic. 'I can feel it. I'm close. Kami, I'm soo close.' He moaned loudly in warning. Unfortunately, at that moment, Sasuke removed both of the pleasurable agents.

The Uchiha quickly applied the lotion to his already leaking member, pumping it a few times. He settled under Naruto's raised thighs, stroking them soothingly. His gaze met his best friend/rival's, question in their depths. He gave a curt nod, when the blond tucked his already healing bottom lip between his teeth and nodded his assent. The pale avenger focused on the blond's face as he slowly entered him, watching for signs to adjust his own moves. He didn't want to hurt the blond, but the encasing heat was wonderfully tight. The Uchiha could not help but moan as his hips slowly pushed forward. He paused, watching the blond as he cut his lip again and squeezed his eyes tightly shut.

"Relax, dobe. I'm not all the way in yet."

"Fuck you. I am relaxing," he said through grinded teeth.

Sasuke sighed, refraining from pointing out the fact that he was the one doing the fucking. He returned his right hand to the blond's member, stroking the length of it and rubbing the tip.

"Aah…"

Sasuke continued to stroke the blond, but held tight to the blond's hips with his left hand. When he felt the restrictive feeling on his own cock decrease, he thrust in quickly, all the way in.

"Ahh, f-fuck. You fucking bastard," gasped the Kyuubi holder.

"I-I didn't…(pant)…want to drag the…the painful experience on. Mmph…similar to removing a band aide in one quick swipe than slowly peeling it away."

"Heh, heh…(pant)…You think so? How about we trade positions? Let's try out that band aide theory of yours."

"You're not relaxing," claimed the raven-haired teen, which Naruto answered with a middle finger his way. The Uchiha leaned down to lick at the blond's nipples adding to the pleasure of his pumping hand on his member.

Naruto lightly dragged his blunt nails down the Uchiha's back to squeeze at his ass. "Move already, shit."

"Hn." He lightly blew on the abused skin, smirking at the sharp intake of breath from below. Supporting himself on his forearms, the raven-haired teen set a slow pace, getting a feel for the slick movements as well as to make this as comfortable for Naruto as possible. Naruto's breathing was faster and heavier. His eyes were closed, but for Sasuke, this was not enough of a reaction. Naruto's face, which is usually so expressive, was too calm—too controlled. 'I can fix that,' thought the Uchiha arrogantly. So the pale avenger straightened, only to hook one of Naruto's legs around his own waist while lifting the other to rest on his shoulder. This spread the blond further allowing the Uchiha to thrust in deeper and faster.

"Aaahh…mmph…(hiss)," the blond continued to moan loudly and more often. Even the Kyuubi no kitusne was stirred up within him, encouraging the pleasurable sensations.

"I'd be a liar if I said I didn't think you would be so vocal."

"S-shut…uup…oohh…t-teme."

"Open your eyes, dobe."

When ocean blue eyes opened showing Sasuke everything he was feeling, the avenger grabbed a stronger hold onto his teammate's hips to increase his already fast pace. He flicked his long, stubborn bangs to the side to hungrily watch every shift in Naruto's expression. Naruto took in the wonderful sight before him. The sight of the strong and perfectly lean, pale body of his rival glistening is sweat as he pounded into him was enough to make him come right then and there, but he held on. Sasuke must have angled his hips just right because Naruto arched off of the futon, fingers clenching the blankets hard with his mouth in an 'o' shape.

His soundless moan was followed by, "Fuuuck, Saassukee. More. Ah. Harder. Faster. Shit."

The Uchiha willingly complied, feeling the intense build-up within. 'I'm close, but…not before the dobe.' He slipped a hand around the whiskered teen's cock trying to match his own hurried pace. The sensations running through him was overwhelming and Narutos toes practically curled in delight. When Naruto shot off his load moaning his teammate's name loudly, his body clenched the thrusting organ tightly, drawing out the Uchiha's own glorious orgasm. He rode the euphoric waves a bit before dropping Naruto's legs and collapsing onto him. Exhausted, he barely managed to lift himself up, pull out of Naruto, and lay next to his panting friend,…no lover.

"K-kami…" wheezed the blond.

"J-just Sasuke, dobe."

"Teme!"

The Uchiha only laughed, one of those rare and carefree laughs, and Naruto joined in.

TBC

How was that? Hopefully you all aren't disappointed or completely thrown at the change in pace of the story. Honestly I wasn't even prepared for the lemon. All of a sudden, as I was writing in my notebook and the two were starting to touch each other, I realized what the hell I was doing. Go figure. I just went with it this time though my intention was to drag it on a little more.

Oh, and review—pretty please. This was my first lemon. Usually I proofread my chapters 3-4 times for fear of mistakes, but it is harder to read the lemony parts (which is nearly half of this chapter) without blushing and feeling like a complete and utter dork for writing it. Sometimes I felt I wasn't descriptive enough for storytelling purposes while other times I felt I might lose what literary integrity it has due to smut content. (Sighs dejectedly) Oh well...

I hope you all thought it was okay.

Until next time…love-love


	8. Chapter 8

-back from the dead…

September 7, 2012

It was hot. Again. Apparently the seaside town was free from the blessed cooling effects of the breeze coming from the ocean. The pair was still tangled together along with a thin white sheet content to sleep the morning away. Whiskered cheeks flinched as sunlight poured into the small rented room. The tanned teen shifted, tucking his head into the tangled mess of ebony locks, reveling in the familiar scent. His hands moved to clutch the slim, soft body to his own in a fit of possessiveness. This caused the other occupant on the futon to shift uncomfortably, senses slowly opening to the surroundings.

"…(groan)"

Ebony eyes shot open as the figure quickly assessed the situation.

"Sasuke…mmhm…"

Said individual moved to get up before crashing onto the tan chest.

"Dobe," came the irritated voice.

Naruto slowly opened his eyes directing his attention to the visibly affronted female.

"K-kouya…" stuttered the embarrassed blond.

"Tch." Kouya rolled her eyes. "I guess I should have you refer to me as Kouya. I would not want you to slip-up when we get to tea country."

Naruto could only stare at the raven-haired beauty that looked, dare he say it 'sexed-up'. A blush stole over his features causing his friend to glare in return. The fox vessel smirked unapologetically. 'Last night was great, but this VERY female version of Sasuke is just…damn. I do like women, ya know.' Naruto defended himself from the snickering fox demon, Kyuubi.

Kouya huffed angrily digging her elbows in Naruto's side to get him to release her.

"Oww… (hiss)," came the pained voice, as Kouya rose from the futon grabbing a yukata from her bag. The fox vessel stared wide-eyed at the beautiful nude form walking around the room unabashedly. When she caught the dumb, frozen look on her teammate's face, she glared, eyes narrowing at the sight of drool slipping free from the dobe's mouth. The jinchuuriki blushed at being caught, scratching the back of his head while attempting to keep his interested eyes averted.

"I'll be in the shower," dark eyes looked down at the futon in disgust, "and clean this mess up."

"Wha…"came the intelligent reply. 'What's wrong with her?'

An hour later the pair exited the homely hotel in search of a decent meal to start their day of travel with. Kouya proceeded through the morning crowd with purpose unmindful of the distracted blond. 'She's avoiding me. Is she mad at me? Did I do something wrong?' He followed his friend to a small outside establishment deciding to drop it for now. Breakfast was a cool affair. Kouya ate with determined efficiency ignoring the blond's few attempts at small talk. Her aloof behavior continued all the way to tea country.

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The quiet pair finally entered tea country. They were about a couple of hours away from their destination. Tea country was very green and full of meadows or low forests. Lakes punctured the landscape here and there.

"Hey…"

The whiskered teen stopped after noticing he was ahead of the Uchiha, only to find her looking at the ground, hands clenched into fist at her sides. Dark bangs shrouded her lovely face from view, but he could tell that she was nervous. It was written in her stance, along her shoulders.

"You don't have to do t—," began the fox vessel.

"Don't I?" interrupted the angry girl, dark gaze focused on cerulean blue. "Your precious hokage still does not trust me; nor do the other shinobi."

The kitsune hesitated. 'What can I say to that? That it was a lie? No.' Naruto knew that the Uchiha had to prove himself before he gained the trust of the village. He was gone for four years.

"At least it's an assassination mission."

Naruto looked up at the resigned reply. He could see the avenger steel her resolve and gather her composure. The pale face was devoid of emotion once more while dark eyes turned cold and dark. 'I can't take it. This Sasuke.' So he strolled up to the Uchiha, watching as she flinched at his closeness, and embraced her. She struggled a bit but eventually gave in. She tensed briefly when the kitsune leaned into her, breathing in her scent as if to reassure himself.

"You know,…I'll always have your back," he said quietly, fiercely.

"…I-I know," came the soft reply after a while.

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"No."

"…but-but, I need this job, obaasan. I'll do anything, e-even the gross, unwanted stuff. Plus, I'm a bit of a handyman." The blond winks assuredly. "I'm not a stranger to working hard inside or outside. So…umm…please consider me." The blond teen bowed respectfully. "I won't disappoint you."

Shrewd, heavy-lidded eyes narrowed as the middle-aged woman pursed her thin lips, taking in the boy before her. She smelled of cigarettes and wore way too much makeup. Her obviously dyed hair was pulled back into a tight bun. She gave a slow perusal of the tanned-blond's form while said individual struggled not to shudder in revulsion.

The teen was currently standing in the doorway of an old, worn-down, but very large establishment. The architecture was classic Japanese with straight, simple lines in warm brown colors of wood; or would be warm, if maintained properly.

"No!" she continued over Naruto's instant rebuttal, "You are too young."

"But I have determination and experience."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

The teen cocked his head in confusion.

"You are a young, virile man. Not to mention easy on the eyes. I don't need you distracting my girls," she ended with a knowing look.

"Huh? Oh…ooohhhh. Haha. You don't have to worry about that, obaasan," he laughed good-naturedly, grinning ear-to-ear.

"I've heard that before," snorted the woman inelegantly.

"It's true!" the whiskered teen pleaded earnestly, clasping his hands.

"Find a job elsewhere. We are full here."

"I like men," shouted the blond before blushing in embarrassment, scratching his whiskered cheek.

The manager looked at him skeptically. She was no stranger to all manner of excuses men gave to get a job at her respectable establishment. "I'm not buying it," she decided, frowning at the blond who opened his mouth with a ready retort.

"Please give him a job," came the smooth low tone from a slowing approaching figure.

"(sigh)…it's late boys," but the woman could not keep her eyes from giving the newly arrived teen the once-over.

The Uchiha walked up to the blond and sighed dejectedly while intertwining their fingers. He lifted the tanned hand to his lips while looking at his partner with sad eyes.

"A-are you his l-lover?" stuttered the clearly shocked woman.

"We are having a hard time getting by in this new village."

"(sigh)…alright. Alright," she glared at the couple. "I'm a sucker for star-crossed lovers." She missed the snort from one of the boys. She watched the blond smile at the raven-haired teen in relieved victory. The teen rolled his eyes then kissed the other on the forehead, causing the other to blush like a tomato.

"Well, I do need someone to take care of all the chores on the grounds. In fact, I just lost the groundskeeper a few months back. So you can stay in his hut. It's on the property, way in the back…away from my girls," growled the woman once again.

"Um, okay." The pair bowed and thanked her again.

"Work starts early at dawn. So get settled in," grunted the overseer.

The Uchiha grabbed Naruto and went through the wooden gate. The first thing they noticed was the overgrown weeds plaguing the yard. The fence needed repairing, leaves littered the area, and the courtyard was a jumbled mess that needed washing.

"…right," replied the sunshine blond dejectedly, head hung low. The Uchiha pulled him towards the creepy shack of a house, working his way through the tall grass. Sasuke pushed the door open and was unsurprised at its less than welcoming appearance.

"Well dobe," he raised an elegant brow at his friend expectantly.

"Home sweet home," grunted the blond, "…honey."


End file.
